Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS), in partnership with Elites Club of Aagba, organized a one-day Entrepreneurship and Capacity-Building Workshop titled 'Enhancing Entrepreneurial Skills of Young Artisans in the Aagba Community, Osun State, Nigeria, on 9 March 2024. Aagba is among marginalized communities in Osun State, with many skilful young artisans who need quality education, adequate infrastructure, and substantive resources to advance their businesses, decent jobs, and achieve economic development. YEDIS Executive Director Rafiu Akinpelu Olaore opined that collaboration between community leaders, government, and civil society organizations would be needed to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030. He reiterated the challenges facing young people in marginalized communities, both inadequate infrastructure and digital divides and pleaded for adequate support. Rafiu Olaore suggested that the underserved Nigerian youth can innovatively develop business initiatives for the nation's economic and sustainable development if they have access to the resources, opportunities, and a conducive environment. He narrated the YEDIS contributions to the youths' gainful employment, primarily young women and girls and community development since the launch of the NGO in February 2020. Rafiu Olaore emphasizes the need to invest in agriculture by supporting young farmers for food security, zero hunger and reducing poverty.

1. YEDIS Empowered Underserved Young Artisans in Nigeria's Marginalised
Community.
https://yedis.org
Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS), in partnership with Elites Club
of Aagba, organized a one-day Entrepreneurship and Capacity-Building Workshop titled
'Enhancing Entrepreneurial Skills of Young Artisans in the Aagba Community, Osun State,
Nigeria, on 9 March 2024. Aagba is among marginalized communities in Osun State, with many
skilful young artisans who need quality education, adequate infrastructure, and substantive
resources to advance their businesses, decent jobs, and achieve economic development.
The well-accomplished program valued over 2.1 million Naira ($1500) through donations and
in-kind support from YEDIS, Elites Club of Aagba, and partners. The Elites Club of Aagba
mobilized the participants, printed the 250 application forms, provided a venue, chairs, tables,
and lunch, printed 150 certificates of attendance, organized media coverages, and donated
N750,000 ($536). In addition, King Alaagba of Aagbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rufus
Olayinka Ogunwole Kuujosin 1, donated the sum of N250,000 ($178), making N1,000,000
($714) grants to 20 raffle draw winners among the participating artisans to develop their
business.
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2. Video Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/9hCuRngWZlI?si=GZzEjyjyyxQAa22B
A YEDIS Partner's Company, Afro Pride Art Collection, located at Station Road, Osogbo,
donated 130 packs of YALE bread valued at N390,000 ($278), each containing ten pieces
distributed among all the participants as gifts.
Video Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/35YoH82E1Nk?si=dyrPmsl4cg_kcd8x
YEDIS provided the technical facilities, including projectors, generators, fuel, public address
systems, photography and video coverage, advertisement, newspaper reports, training items,
facilitators' honorarium, and social media promotion. The YEDIS seven team and three
volunteers facilitated the event with intensive training through interactive presentation,
participants' teamwork, business plan development, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and
digital skills, the effect of climate change on business, venture funding sources, and other
innovative lectures for inclusive and community economic development.
The workshop focused on impacting the Aagba young artisans with the requisite knowledge in
national and global networking links, marketing fundamentals, product branding, digital
technology applications, exploration of local resources, leadership skills, team building, and
business proposal writing. YEDIS conducted the training in English and Yoruba (mother
language) to ensure proper interactions and a deeper understanding of the workshop goals.
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3. Participation at the event was free and focused on the entrepreneurship development of
underserved young artisans and traders for their economic growth. The participants were 76
young women and girls and 52 men. The participant's trade areas are plumbing, electrical
installation and repairs, computer and phone repairs, bricklaying, plumbing, tiling, Plaster of
Paris (POP) work, welding and fabrication, merchandising, shoemaking/leather works, house
aluminium works, painting, photography, computer business centre, farming, hairstyling, and
fashion designing.
Video Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/0I13GiY584I?si=hj9YqPZFTjzp4f6h
YEDIS Executive Director Rafiu Akinpelu Olaore opined that collaboration between community
leaders, government, and civil society organizations would be needed to achieve the United
Nations' Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030. He reiterated the challenges facing
young people in marginalized communities, both inadequate infrastructure and digital divides
and pleaded for adequate support. Rafiu Olaore suggested that the underserved Nigerian youth
can innovatively develop business initiatives for the nation's economic and sustainable
development if they have access to the resources, opportunities, and a conducive environment.
He narrated the YEDIS contributions to the youths' gainful employment, primarily young women
and girls and community development since the launch of the NGO in February 2020. Rafiu
Olaore emphasizes the need to invest in agriculture by supporting young farmers for food
security, zero hunger and reducing poverty.
Video Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/0I13GiY584I?si=vQ7hGY4z-ZHZhEj5
Dignitaries and special guests at the workshop include Osun State Government Officials, Hon.
Rasheed Aderibigbe (Honourable Commissioner for Home Affairs), Hon. Bayo Ogungbangbe
(Honourable Commissioner for Cooperatives and Empowerment), and Chief Host, Hon Soji
Ajeigbe (Commissioner for Government Affairs and Protocol). His royal Majesty, Oba Rufus
Olayinka Ogunwole Kuujosin 1, the Alaagba of Aagba, was the Royal Father of the Day. Other
dignitaries include Chief Rafiu Olaore, YEDIS founder and executive director, Chief Obafemi
Okediya, president of the Elites Club of Aagba, and his club members and eminent
personalities.
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4. Rafiu Olaore appreciated Mr Patrict Ilori (YEDIS Regional Coordinator in Europe) for donating
N75,000 ($55) towards logistics and the YEDIS vibrant team for their selfless services, insightful
presentation, and proper coordination of the activities, in the person of Mr Ogunrinade Ranti, Mr
Ola Timothy, Mrs Oyeniyi Kemi, Mrs Alaje Grace, Mr Oluwaseun Owojori, Mrs Olaniyan Dorcas,
Miss Rafiat Olaore, Miss Waliyat Oyerinde, Mr Waheed Adeoye, Miss Kareemah Olaore, Mr
Taiwo Oladele. Mr Abass Opeyemi, Mrs Mary Adebayo and other stakeholders.
Moreover, Rafiu Olaore salutes the courage and motivation of YEDIS members and
well-wishers who constantly support, comment on, and like YEDIS posts.
About YEDIS.
Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS) is a grassroots youth-serving
nongovernmental organization headquartered in Osogbo, Nigeria. YEDIS promotes
entrepreneurship education, youth employment, gender equality, and community development.
YEDIS is an organization member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solution
Network (UN_SDSN) - Youth Initiative, Member of the United Nations Global Impact, Member of
the World Bank Group Civil Society Policy Forum and others.
For more information about YEDIS, go to https://yedis.org. Email: info@yedis.org. Whatsapp:
+2347054997660.
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