By Adamu Yusuf
The Renewed Hope Initiative under the Tinubu–Uba Sani Mobilisation Network has graduated one thousand, two hundred women and youths from various skills acquisition and empowerment programmes in Kaduna State.
The initiative also plans to expand its intervention to all 23 local government areas of the state.
Addressing participants at the graduation ceremony held in Rigachikun, Kaduna, the Kaduna State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Muhammad Abubakar Mamadi, described the event as a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to equip women and young people with vocational and entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance and economic empowerment.
Muhammad Mamadi said the programme, which commenced last year, has already been implemented in more than seven local government areas, providing beneficiaries with practical skills aimed at improving their livelihoods and reducing dependency.
According to him, the initiative was designed to complement broader efforts to tackle unemployment and poverty by decentralising vocational training and bringing opportunities closer to communities across the state.
He explained that mobile training centres were introduced to address the limitations of conventional vocational institutions and expand access to skills acquisition, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Mamadi noted that participants received hands-on training in various trades and vocations, adding that graduates would also benefit from starter packs and financial support to enable them establish small businesses and become self-reliant.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the network to scaling up the programme across Kaduna State to ensure that more women and youths benefit from the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Tinubu–Uba Sani Mobilisation Network, Aminu AbdulMomin Zaria, said the programme was already yielding positive results, citing success stories of previous beneficiaries who had improved their economic conditions through the skills acquired during the training.
He highlighted the performance and confidence demonstrated by some earlier graduates as evidence of the initiative’s impact on community development and youth empowerment.
Aminu AbdulMomin Zaria commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the Renewed Hope Agenda and praised Governor Uba Sani for providing an enabling environment for empowerment programmes in Kaduna State.
He urged the graduates to apply their skills effectively, emphasising entrepreneurship, innovation and self-reliance as key drivers of sustainable economic growth.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor on Social Investment, Hajiya Falmata Abacha, said the programme was designed to equip beneficiaries with practical and entrepreneurial skills capable of transforming their lives and reducing poverty.
She explained that the initiative combines vocational training, mentorship and empowerment support aimed at building sustainable livelihoods, particularly among women, youths and vulnerable groups.
Hajiya Falmata Abacha commended stakeholders and development partners for supporting the programme. She particularly praised Aminu AbdulMomin Zaria for funding the training and empowerment activities through the Tinubu–Uba Sani Mobilisation Network, as well as Muhammad Abubakar Mamadi for his commitment to humanitarian and community development efforts.
Some beneficiaries, in separate interviews, expressed gratitude to Muhammad Abubakar Mamadi and Aminu AbdulMomin Zaria for their contributions towards improving their living conditions.
At the event, each of the one thousand, two hundred graduates received ₦20,000 in cash support to assist them in starting or expanding their businesses.
In addition, outstanding participants who excelled during the programme were rewarded with cash prizes of ₦50,000, ₦40,000 and ₦30,000 for first, second and third positions respectively.
The ceremony attracted government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, development partners, beneficiaries and members of the media, who witnessed the graduation and empowerment exercise.
