GIZ-SEDIN, SEYP Train 68 Entrepreneurs with Disabilities in Benin City

From Moshood Karim

Sixty-eight entrepreneurs with disabilities (PWDs) in Benin City have successfully completed an empowerment programme through the Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria (SEDIN), a Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) initiative.

This project, implemented by the Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons (SEYP), aims to support vulnerable entrepreneurs by providing them with essential business management skills and financial literacy, enhancing their resilience and capability to scale their enterprises.

At the programme's graduation ceremony, held on Friday in Benin City, GIZ Advisor for Employment Promotion and Migration, Mr. Joel Zombou, encouraged the participants to leverage the knowledge gained from the training to ensure their businesses thrive.

 

He urged them to consider alternative funding sources, including platforms like GoFundMe, to expand their capital base beyond traditional bank loans and grants.

“You can use your story, share it on GoFundMe, and invite friends and family to support your business,” Zombou stated, stressing the importance of storytelling and networking for growth.

Earlier, the Executive Director, Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons, (SEYP), Ms. Omo-Ero Victoria Osasenaga, in her welcome address, highlighted the challenges facing Nigerian small businesses, particularly the inability to survive beyond the first five years.

She cited multiple taxation and an often unfriendly business environment as key barriers. Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons, through its partnership with GIZ, is addressing these issues by equipping entrepreneurs with practical skills like bookkeeping and target audience identification, vital for sustainable business growth. She disclosed.

"Our partnership with GIZ has created immense opportunities for both young school leavers and older entrepreneurs," Osasenaga said.

In addition to technical skills, the programme focused on changing mind-sets. Osasenaga urged beneficiaries to shed any “victim mentality” and embrace their potential to achieve financial independence despite their disabilities.

She encouraged them to craft mission and vision statements for their businesses, establish clear objectives, and approach entrepreneurship with a resilient mind-set.

Comrade Ann Ojugo, Coordinator of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, called for stronger government support for PWDs, specifically through specialised education and empowerment programmes. She stressed the need for dedicated welfare provisions to help vulnerable persons develop their skills and attain self-sufficiency.

The ceremony also featured a business pitch session, where participants presented their business ideas, receiving constructive feedback and financial pledges from the organizers. This segment aimed to bolster the participants' confidence and encourage them to pursue real-world business opportunities.

Major Ime Akpan, Administrator of The Salvation Army Rehabilitation Centre in Benin City, shared his organization’s role in skill development for individuals with disabilities.

According to him, since the 1970s, the Centre has provided training in various trades, including shoemaking, tailoring, and hairdressing. However, he noted logistical challenges in transporting beneficiaries to training locations, emphasising the need for a dedicated skill acquisition centre to streamline the rehabilitation process.

"We recently launched a vision to establish our own skill acquisition centre, requiring 80 million Naira to complete,” Akpan disclosed, appealing for public support to make the project a reality.

The facilitator for the business training programme, Stella Abiru stated that, “At first, I thought it will be a difficult task teaching these people, but when I started teaching them, I discovered that majority of them are intelligent, super intelligent. So, I will to thank the GIZ for bringing this training as you can see from their testimony how they share their experiences today.”

Several participants expressed gratitude to GIZ and Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons for the training and support, noting that the knowledge gained would positively impact their businesses.

SEYP is a non-profit organisation dedicated to combating poverty, discrimination, and violence, has been actively involved in empowering disadvantaged groups.

With the support of local and international partners such as UNICEF, USAID, and GIZ, SEYP has implemented programmes across various sectors, including entrepreneurship, health, education, agriculture, and gender rights.

Through initiatives like the GIZ-SEDIN programme, SEYP continues to drive sustainable development for marginalised communities in Nigeria.

This collaboration between GIZ and SEYP signifies a hopeful step towards inclusive economic growth, as it empowers PWDs in Benin City to overcome obstacles and thrive as entrepreneurs.