Mercy Angel Foundation Graduates 600 Kaduna Youths in Skills‑Training Initiative
No fewer than 600 young people in Kaduna State have completed a free skills acquisition and empowerment programme organised by the Mercy Angel Foundation, the outreach arm of the Restoration Bible Church, aimed at boosting self‑reliance and reducing youth unemployment, Punch Nigeria reports.
The graduation ceremony took place on Saturday in Kaduna, drawing traditional rulers, religious leaders, community representatives and beneficiaries from Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Chikun Local Government Areas.
Rev. Tunde Bolanta, founder of the Mercy Angel Foundation, said the initiative seeks to equip young people with practical, marketable skills that can help them become economically independent and contribute productively to society. The programme, Bolanta explained, is part of a wider 18‑month empowerment project targeting unemployment, poverty and social vices such as crime and drug abuse.
Participants received training in various vocational areas, including fashion design, baking, bead‑making, hairdressing, soap making, and phone and computer repairs, skills identified as essential for daily life and local business opportunities.
Bolanta noted that the training is fully free and continues to attract high participation, with more than 1,200 youths currently enrolled in different batches. He also announced plans for another graduation event next Saturday in partnership with the Ashafa Foundation and local traditional and religious leaders.
Beyond technical training, the foundation emphasises interfaith dialogue and community engagement as key to building trust and peaceful coexistence across Kaduna’s diverse religious and ethnic communities.
Though the organisers expressed regret that they could not provide start‑up equipment for all graduates due to limited resources, they unveiled a small‑loan scheme to support qualified beneficiaries in starting their own businesses.
Speaking at the event, Sheikh Nuraini Ashafa, Co‑Coordinator of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, praised the programme as “bridge‑building in action” in a city long affected by ethno‑religious tensions.
Dr. Tina Bolanta, wife of the foundation’s founder, urged youths to combine formal education with practical skills, stressing that hands‑on training often provides immediate means of livelihood.
The graduation concluded with prayers, goodwill messages and the distribution of select start‑up kits, including sewing machines and hairdressing tools, to chosen beneficiaries through a raffle draw, with many graduates expressing optimism about their future prospects.