The North East Youth Initiative for Development (NEYIF) has empowered 120 vulnerable persons in skill acquisition to enable them to be self-reliant in various skills within four local government areas of Sokoto State.
NEYIF’s Executive Director, Comrade Mohammed Dauda Gombe, shared stories of transformation at a recent press briefing.
The empowerment is in collaboration with the Al-Yateem Charity Initiative (AYCI) and with support from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
NEYIF is working in four local government areas of Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Wamkko, and Kware, with eight beneficiary communities, including Rijiya, Mabera Magaji, Gidan Igwai, Magajin Rafi A, Durbawa, Bado, Arkilla, and More.
The project, titled “Engaging Youth and Women as Agents of Social Cohesion through Resilience Building and Community Peace Initiatives,” recognises that peace and social stability cannot be achieved by external actors alone.
It must be driven by communities themselves, empowered with knowledge, platforms, and resources to resist violent extremism and foster inclusion for nation-building.
However, the organisation’s Executive Director notes that the funding they have received is insufficient to cover all the needs in the state.
“The money we have is not enough,” he said. “The project is only covering eight communities in four local government areas, and even in these communities, the project is not reaching every nook and cranny.”
He expressed that with more funding and support, they could do much better.
Given that Sokoto State has 23 local government areas, each with numerous communities, the current scope is limited. One of the major challenges they face is the lack of sufficient funds to implement their activities effectively.
The Executive Director highlighted the vulnerability of the communities they are working with, referencing the National Multidimensional Poverty Index that ranks Sokoto as the poorest state in the country.
Despite these challenges, the participants in the project have shown remarkable progress. After receiving startup grants, they have been doing exceptionally well, with each participant expected to benefit at least three other people.
NEYIF is urging the government to take ownership of the program and lead the efforts, emphasising that their role is to support and complement government initiatives.
The project’s limited timeline means that communities need to take charge of the process beyond the project’s lifespan.
One success story from the project is the Democation training in Gidan Igwai community, where participants were given startup capital to engage in irrigation farming and produce rice.
The community has created its own system, encouraging youth participation and saving some of the funds to sustain the project even after NEYIF’s exit.
