Africa’s Foremost Humanitarian Activist, Philanthropist and renowned Social Entrepreneur, Comrade Kennedy Iyere has launched a business financing intervention programme for the support of youth and women entrepreneurs in Africa. The business financing scheme is known as “FUND-YES”. It was launched on Tuesday 8th August, 2023 at the Merit House located in Maitama, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The public unveiling ceremony of “FUND-YES” attracted top business leaders, bankers, NGO Executives, CSO directors, religious leaders, the media community, business networks, youth and women groups among others.
“Today life is becoming tougher for youths and women in Nigeria with millions of youths roaming the streets in utter frustration and without hope of a meaningful future ahead of them. Even with their degrees, millions of youths have remained unemployed for lack of job opportunities. It is therefore, not a surprise, that Nigeria’s youths have become more restive, posing security threats beyond the usual. If nothing is done to drastically tackle high youth unemployment in Nigeria, the country will soon hit its point of political collapse when angry youths translate their frustration into a social revolution. The right way to avert this looming disaster, is to create economic and job opportunities for youths and women but under the current economic circumstances, entrepreneurship remains the only option available”‘, Iyere said.
Iyere affirmed that the youths and women of Nigeria are very hardworking people, who if supported with funds, will turn themselves into successful entrepreneurs, he added that the need to offer such assistance, is the key factor which inspired and propelled him to establish “FUND-YES”. According to Iyere, “FUND-YES” is a joint business financing programme and enterprise development fund for youths and women in need of funding assistance to enable themselves to start up a micro or small business, or to scale-up and grow their existing micro and small businesses into a medium-sized enterprise.
“Iyere stated that “FUND-YES” will provide flexible business financing opportunities for youths and women to engage themselves in various entrepreneurships and become owners of their own businesses and creators of their own jobs. He added that “entrepreneurship” is the panacea for Nigeria’s chronic youth unemployment, high youth crime, as well as the security risks that associate with these factors. Iyere said “entrepreneurship” is also the solution to the country’s menace of extreme poverty, hence women have been captured as equal beneficiaries of “FUND-YES” just like the youths. It is a multifaceted business financing scheme, anchored by Youths Off The Street Initiative (YOTSI), in response to the need to lift millions of youths and women out of unemployment and poverty with a view to mitigating youth crime and helping women to reinforce household economic security, as many women are being empowered to make money to support their families.
The official unveiling of “FUND-YES” was conducted by Comrade Kenneth Robinson, the National Organizing Secretary of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), who also is the Spokesperson of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum ( SMBLF), an alliance of key ethnic nationalities, comprising the Pan Niger Delta Forum(PANDEF), Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF). “FUND-YES” is an integrated business financing programme and enterprise development fund created to empower youth and women entrepreneurs, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, state of origin, nationality, religious and political affiliations.
The first beneficiary of “FUND-YES” received an enterprise grant of ONE MILLION NAIRA (N1,000,000) from Comrade Kennedy Iyere, which was paid into her account opened with Fidelity Bank for the purpose of enhancing her entrepreneurial success.Her name is Ndandok Limaro Thomas, from Jaba Local Government of Kaduna State. She is currently undergoing apprenticeship in Carpentry (training to become a Carpenter). She is a graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Jos (UNIJOS). Known for its strong support for MSMEs, Fidelity Bank is among other top banks chosen as the partnering banks for “FUND-YES”. Iyere assured that “FUND-YES” will support her with TEN MILLION NAIRA (N10,000,000) once she has completed her apprenticeship within the next Six Months.
The official recruitment of youths and women as potential beneficiaries of the entrepreneurial financing empowerment offered by “FUND-YES” is set to begin within the third week of August 2023.
