NIGERIAN Bottling Company Plc (NBC) has launched ‘Youth Empowered’ programme, aimed at empowering 500,000 youths by 2020, through training workshops to support and provide youths with basic business skills for self-sustenance.

NBC’s Managing Director, George Polymenakos, at the launch of the initiative in Lagos, said “the youth remain a major focal stakeholder group in our community intervention programmes and sustainability initiatives.”

He said Youth Empowered was part of the ‘one Coca-Cola Hellenic’ project designed to support over 500,000 young unemployed people between the ages of 18 to 30 years by 2020, to build life and business skills and long-lasting networks that would translate to meaningful employment and self-sufficiency.

Business skill Polymenakos further stated that participants would be taken through a three-day business skill workshop designed to provide them with essential business skills such as project and time management, business planning, negotiation, financial literacy, communication and sales skills that would help them thrive in the business environment. The trainings would take place physically, with on-line versions available.

“Over the years, NBC has built and maintained strong community trust into our corporate strategy, which has driven our business to invest time, expertise and resources in locally relevant initiatives to facilitate socio-economic development of our communities, especially amongst the youth. NBC Youth Empowered is designed to take participants through workshops in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Kano, to help them discover themselves, understand their strengths and developmental opportunities, as well as provide them a platform for meaningful interaction with business leaders and mentors,” he added.

In her remarks, NBC’s Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Sade Morgan, said, “NBC Youth Empowered is committed to empowering youths in communities, liberating their fortunes and supporting one of the government’s sustainability development goals – eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. The participating youths would have first hand experience that would serve as a launch pad to start on the right foot, with guidance from professionals and experienced business mentors.”

Founder of Rise Network, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, challenged youths to take their future seriously by investing in ventures that would advance the cause of their development and success in the workplace and life in general. She noted that the era of youth relying on government support to cater for their needs was no longer feasible in this age and time.