By Samuel Aluko
The outgoing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have hailed the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme initiated by Corps as a profitable scheme.
SAED was launched in 2012 by the NYSC with the mission to facilitate access to the requisite skills and resources necessary for successful entrepreneurship.
The Corps Members said the scheme had helped them gain relevant skills that can be up-scaled for self-reliance after the service to the nation.
One of the Corps Members, Clifford Elizabeth Ufuoma, said: “During SAED training in camp, I joined the gele class because I already know a lot about makeup. SAED helped me learn new gele tricks as well as develop old styles. I can proudly say I am a Gele Artist. All thanks to SAED”.
“I do have plans to invest in the skill. I intend to open a makeup and gele studio for profit making as well as empowering other people who are interested in learning the skill”.
“Yes! I have started investing in the skills. I’ve had quite several clients in Akure, Ondo, and other states that I work for. Corps Members book me for their makeup and gele sessions and I have other clients that book me for parties. I have had quite some bridal clients too”.
Another Corps Member, who simply identified himself as Ekundayo, said he acquired shoemaking skills from the programme and planned to invest in the venture after his service year.
He explained, “after reviewing the list of SAED classes available, I chose one that I knew I would be interested in and would be of great benefit to me if I decided to pursue it after my service year.
“I found myself picking an interest in shoemaking, and looking around Nigeria, I noticed that we have many designers of clothing lines, but not many go into shoemaking. So I became interested in the class because I believe I can contribute something unique”.
