King Charles launches Trust Fund for Nigerian youths
By Ologeh Joseph
King Charles III has launched in Nigeria a project aimed at creating more job opportunities for Nigerians
The Non-Profit organization founded by King Charles III of England has now been launched in Nigeria.
Named Prince’s Trust International it aims at tackling the global crisis of youth unemployment.
Nigeria has some 33.3 percent unemployed Youth rate. The figure is expected to go up with inflation rate staggering at 22 percent.
The Trust Fund was launched officially in Lagos on Wednesday.
The Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones led other dignitaries at the event.
The Prince’s Trust International in Nigeria is expected to provide young people with high quality training, improve and bridge the existing skill gap, increasing their chance of employment, Llewellyn-Jones expressed during the launch.
“This is the launch of the Prince’s Trust International initiative in Nigeria to help train young people and prepare them for work, bridging the gap we have in terms of youth unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria.
“It is a really positive initiative. His Royal Highness is the President of the Prince’s Trust. The initiative aims to expand to more countries, with Nigeria being the latest addition. The PTI is a charity aligned with the UK government’s ambition in Nigeria to assist young people in securing jobs by providing proper training and necessary skills,” Ben Llewellyn-Jones stated.
The importance of training, tailored to the specific roles that young people aspire to undertake, including modern workplace skills, etiquette, and both soft and hard skills.
The Chief Executive Officer of Prince’s Trust International, Will Straw, revealed that the initiative was initially intended to commence earlier in 2018 after King Charles’ visit to Nigeria, but the implementation was delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The organization’s efforts over the past 18 months was highlighted by Straw, during which they have been helping young people acquire the skills needed for the workforce.
“Prince’s Trust is almost half a century old, founded by King Charles when he was the Prince of Wales in the UK in 1976. It has grown to become the largest charity in the UK, supporting millions of people. In 2015, the King established Prince’s Trust International with the mission to collaborate with local partners worldwide in addressing the youth unemployment crisis.
In 2018, during his visit to Nigeria, he inquired whether his trust could support employment initiatives in Nigeria and Ghana. The answer was affirmative. Our expertise can contribute to local efforts. With the support of our Africa advisory board, which includes prominent business figures like Atedo Peterside and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, we began exploring how to establish this program.” He explained.
A trustee of PTI and former Vice President of the World Bank, Arunma Oteh, emphasized that at least 60% of Nigeria’s population comprises youth, making any investment in young people crucial and sustainable for the country’s development.
Oteh, who also served as the former Director-General of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission, expressed her excitement about the program’s potential for young Nigerians, employers, and the nation as a whole, she praised the youths for their hard work, creativity, and resilience and anticipated that the launch of PTI in Nigeria would bring positive changes and development in the country.
King Charles launches Trust Fund for Nigerian youths
By Ologeh Joseph
King Charles 111 has launched in Nigeria a project aimed at creating more job opportunities for Nigerians
The Non-Profit organization founded by King Charles III of England has now been launched in Nigeria.
Named Prince’s Trust International it aims at tackling the global crisis of youth unemployment.
Nigeria has some 33.3 percent unemployed Youth rate. The figure is expected to go up with inflation rate staggering at 22 percent.
The Trust Fund was launched officially in Lagos on Wednesday.
The Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones led other dignitaries at the event.
The Prince’s Trust International in Nigeria is expected to provide young people with high quality training, improve and bridge the existing skill gap, increasing their chance of employment, Llewellyn-Jones expressed during the launch.
“This is the launch of the Prince’s Trust International initiative in Nigeria to help train young people and prepare them for work, bridging the gap we have in terms of youth unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria.
“It is a really positive initiative. His Royal Highness is the President of the Prince’s Trust. The initiative aims to expand to more countries, with Nigeria being the latest addition. The PTI is a charity aligned with the UK government’s ambition in Nigeria to assist young people in securing jobs by providing proper training and necessary skills,” Ben Llewellyn-Jones stated.
The importance of training, tailored to the specific roles that young people aspire to undertake, including modern workplace skills, etiquette, and both soft and hard skills.
The Chief Executive Officer of Prince’s Trust International, Will Straw, revealed that the initiative was initially intended to commence earlier in 2018 after King Charles’ visit to Nigeria, but the implementation was delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The organization’s efforts over the past 18 months was highlighted by Straw, during which they have been helping young people acquire the skills needed for the workforce.
“Prince’s Trust is almost half a century old, founded by King Charles when he was the Prince of Wales in the UK in 1976. It has grown to become the largest charity in the UK, supporting millions of people. In 2015, the King established Prince’s Trust International with the mission to collaborate with local partners worldwide in addressing the youth unemployment crisis.
In 2018, during his visit to Nigeria, he inquired whether his trust could support employment initiatives in Nigeria and Ghana. The answer was affirmative. Our expertise can contribute to local efforts. With the support of our Africa advisory board, which includes prominent business figures like Atedo Peterside and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, we began exploring how to establish this program.” He explained.
A trustee of PTI and former Vice President of the World Bank, Arunma Oteh, emphasized that at least 60% of Nigeria’s population comprises youth, making any investment in young people crucial and sustainable for the country’s development.
Oteh, who also served as the former Director-General of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission, expressed her excitement about the program’s potential for young Nigerians, employers, and the nation as a whole, she praised the youths for their hard work, creativity, and resilience and anticipated that the launch of PTI in Nigeria would bring positive changes and development in the country.
