BY WARISO WARISO
Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas ( NLNG) has relaunched one of its key economic empowerment programmes, formerly known as Youth Empowerment Scheme ( YES) as a way of spurring the growth of small businesses and youths within it’s over 110 host and pipeline communities in Rivers State.
The new scheme, now known as VIBES, is to ensure growth and sustainability of small businesses owned and managed by previous Youth Empowerment Scheme ( YES) beneficiaries.
Earlier, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Sophia Horsfall said at the relaunch event in Port Harcourt, that VIBES stands for Vocational, Innovation, Business, and Empowerment Scheme.
She said ” NLNG believes that entrepreneurship is not just about starting and running a business, it is about creating opportunities that uplift the communities to drive economic growth and spark positive social change.”
” In line with NLNG’s vision of improving lives sustainably, VIBES is a deliberate programme to engender entrepreneurs and change – makers in the communities,”
According to Dr Sophia, over 1400 youths from NLNG’s host and pipeline communities in Rivers state, especially in Egbema, Obite, Ndele, Rumuji, Rumueikpe, Bodo, Bonny and Eleme amongst others, had been trained in 10 different empowerment programmes since inception of YES in 2004, adding that less than 300 beneficiaries are said to be operating viable business till date.
She opined that the crafts that the beneficiaries were trained on include, Automotive, Advanced welding, catering and Hotel management, fashion Designing and cosmetology, adding that others are farm Management, Information and Communication Technology as well as photography and Video production.
Dr. Horsfall who was represented at the event by the Manager, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Charles Epelle said, ” we believe that VIBES will foster an environment where individuals can create businesses, generate employment, and become innovators. This believe drives the commitment to nurturing local capacity and enabling individuals to become creators of jobs, wealth and lasting impact”.
She further stated that the programme is a modern approach to economic empowerment which ” offers enhanced support through networking opportunities grants, resources, and mentorship to help participants refine and scale up their ideas.”
She averred that VIBES came into force last year, 2024,as a way of refining the implementation of the company’s Youths Empowerment Scheme ( YES) programme, which, she said, was initially designed to make the participating youths economically and socially responsible and self- reliant through guided technical and managerial development training.
She posited that in conceptualizing VIBES NLNG assembled experts in entrepreneurship, business development law, technology and innovations and several other fields for continued training and mentorship of the selected business operators to ensure continued survival growth and sustainability of such businesses.
She affirmed that VIBES would provide comprehensive business training, which includes courses on financial management, marketing, strategic planning, law and legal practices and more , even as she opined that it also provides personalized advisory services and structured mentorship from seasoned business to the participants , adding that beneficiaries will be administered professional practical, participative training and managerial capacity.
She maintained that participants in the top 50 will receive a grant of $1,300 each and it would be disbursed in two tranches. The funding is intended to help upscale their business and as a broader support system that includes mentorship, networking, and additional advisory services.
She noted that Economic empowerment is one of the four pillars of NLNG’S community development drive, while others are education, infrastructure development and healthcare.
In her address, General Manager External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, said that the NLNG VIBES initiative is to unlock entrepreneurship and empowering youths in the various host communities for sustainable development of the communities and empowering youths for sustainable development.
According to her, NLNG’s Commitment to Entrepreneurship and Empowerment is not about starting and running a business, but about creating opportunities that uplift the communities to drive economic growth and spark positive social change.
She used the event to express gratitude to the host communities for their continued support and to the youth whose courage, creativity, and ambition continue to inspire NLNG, while urging the youth to continue to play vital role on maintaining an environment where young entrepreneurs can thrive, communities will grow and Rivers state will remain as the beacon of sustainable, home grown enterprise.
