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Ikeja, Lagos – October 19, 2023. In a landmark event held at the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) office in Ikeja, the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) and Oriki Global & Synergy Limited signed an agreement that is set to transform the wellness entrepreneurship landscape in Nigeria. The $85,000 grant from USADF and Lagos State Government, through LSETF, with technical support from Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI), will enable Oriki to establish a spa & wellness entrepreneurship hub, providing essential economic empowerment and skill improvement opportunities for wellness entrepreneurs.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), in collaboration with Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI), as implementing partners, recently initiated a project to help address nutritional challenges in Nigeria. The Home Garden Initiative as it is named is designed to empower local farmers to grow nutritious foods in their homes. The project primarily focuses on three states: Benue, Nasarawa, and Kaduna, and it’s already in progress in these areas.

When we think of hunger, we often imagine people who do not have enough to eat. However, there is another type of hunger that is just as devastating, yet less visible. Micronutrient malnutrition, also known as hidden hunger, affects 2 billion people around the world. This means that a quarter of the global population is not getting enough vitamins and minerals for healthy growth, with devastating effects on their health, productivity, and even survival.

Journey to Kebbi: DDI’s Expedition of Technical Support, Progress, Partnership, and Prosperity

Recently, DDI embarked on a landmark visit to Kebbi State with the aim of painting a vivid picture of the transformation and collaborative progress among several cooperative groups in the state. The representatives of DDI, including the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Project Development Officer, and Communications Specialist, journeyed to assess the progress of cooperative groups that received funding from the partnership of the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) and the Kebbi State Government.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated it eloquently when he said that the boundless energy, cutting-edge ideas, and priceless contributions of youngsters around the world are crucial to the survival of humanity. “Humanity depends on the boundless energy, ideas and contributions of youth everywhere. Today and every day, let’s support and stand with young people in shaping a just and sustainable world, for people and planet.” This is particularly poignant on days like International Youth Day, especially as this year’s theme is: Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World. This year, attention is once again focused on how important young people are in guiding society toward a more sustainable future.

On World Youth Skills Day 2023, we celebrate the inspiring journey of Adebanjo Adeniji, a 26-year-old male with a background in Agricultural Science, who transformed his career by participating in the USADF-LSETF employability program from Nov 2021 to March 2022, developing specific hard skills in front-end web development. He is currently excelling as a Training Facilitator and CEO of TruLance, a startup catering to the needs of MSMEs. This innovative initiative, a collaboration between the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) and the Lagos State Government with technical support from Diamond Development Initiatives, is equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive in today’s world.

World Youth Skills Day is an important occasion to recognize the significance of empowering young people with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. In Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million people, more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. This young demographic presents immense potential for economic growth and development. However, to unlock this potential, it is crucial to address the pressing need for skills among Nigerian youth.

Meet Adanne Uche, founder and CEO of Ady’s Agro Processing Limited

Every year on June 27, people all around the world observe International MSMEs Day to promote awareness of the vital role Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) play in promoting economic growth, encouraging innovation, and producing job opportunities.

International Widows Day, commemorated on June 23, is a platform to shed light on the challenges faced by widows worldwide and aims to bring attention to their struggle for justice, equality, and economic stability. In Nigeria, available estimates indicate that over 8 million widows exist, and the hardships experienced by these women are particularly pronounced. This piece delves into the plight of widows in Nigeria, the importance of International Widows Day, and the efforts of Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI) to support these courageous women. DDI is a Nigerian not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering communities.

Today is World Environment Day – a day commemorated every June 5, to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and preserving our environment. It is a day to encourage individuals, communities, and organizations to take action towards sustainable living and to promote environmental protection. Referred to as the biggest international day for the Environment according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the day is commemorated with a theme that focuses on a different environmental issue each year. This year, the theme is “Ecosystem Restoration”.