By Morenike Taire
A quiet transformation is taking place in some communities across the Niger Delta. At the centre of that transformation is the Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation (EMT Foundation), a grassroots-driven organisation using vocational training, mentorship and financial empowerment to reshape the future.
Recently in Effurun, Delta State, 41 beneficiaries graduated from its Batch ‘C’ Skill Acquisition Programme under the EMT Foundation’s Niger Delta Youth Empowerment initiative.
But beyond the colourful ceremony, applause and distribution of certificates was a deeper story, one of economic survival, hope and community rebuilding in a region where many young people struggle daily with unemployment and limited opportunities.
The graduates were trained in practical and income-generating skills including fashion design, culinary arts, baking, salon services, makeup artistry and gele styling; sectors that require relatively low startup costs but possess strong local demand, making them attractive pathways for self-employment and entrepreneurship.
Takeoff capital
In a particularly unprecedented gesture, Founder, Mrs. Esther Matthew Tonlagha, announced a N1 million grant to each of the 41 graduates as takeoff capital to help them establish businesses.
Graduates also received starter packs and equipment including makeup kits, baking tools, generators, deep freezers and other resources. Tonlagha explained that the initiative was designed to restore confidence and independence to vulnerable persons and youths.
“This is not just a celebration of completion but recognition of courage, growth and transformation. Your dreams are valid and achievable,” she told the graduates.
According to her, empowerment is meaningful only when beneficiaries are equipped with the practical tools required to survive economically and positively impact their communities.
Sustainable Impact
EMT Foundation’s empowerment model, according to its sponsors, is designed to create lasting impact rather than temporary relief, determined to avoid the pitfall of merely ending with certificates and photographs. Programmes like EMT’s are becoming increasingly important as inflation, unemployment and rising living costs continue to put pressure on families across the country.
The National Bureau of Statistics paints a discouraging picture of high youth unemployment, particularly among young women. In oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta, the challenge is often compounded by environmental degradation, poor infrastructure and limited industrial opportunities.
Vocational empowerment initiatives remain vital tools for social stability and economic inclusion, and as Tonlagha stressed during the graduation ceremony, the true value of the programme would be measured by how beneficiaries apply their knowledge to build sustainable businesses, having
become catalysts for wider community transformation.
This “multiplier effect” is especially important in regions like the Niger Delta where hardship fuels social tension, crime and youth vulnerability. Inclusion of life-saving skills within the programme also reflects a broader objective of strengthening community resilience.
Community Ownership, Partnership
Funded by Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and Chief Tare Godfrey Pondi, the Foundation has also drawn support and commendation from public officials, security agencies and community stakeholders.
Wife of the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mrs. Timiebi Akuna Guwor, underscored the importance of partnerships between government and private organisations in driving sustainable development.
“The government alone cannot achieve national development. Individuals and organisations must take responsibility. You are not just beneficiaries but partners in development,” she said, linking the initiative to the Delta State Government’s MORE Agenda, which focuses on meaningful development, opportunities for all, realistic reforms and enhanced peace and security.
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