No fewer than 50 young people in Lugbe community, Abuja, have been equipped with barbing skills and starter kits, including brand-new clippers, as part of an empowerment initiative by the Njideka King Foundation.
The three-week programme, which focused on children between the ages of 10 and 17, combined intensive practical training with the provision of tools to enable the beneficiaries to put their newly acquired skills to immediate use.
The beneficiaries underwent training in basic and advanced haircutting techniques before demonstrating their skills during the closing exercise, where they put into practice what they had learnt.
Speaking on the initiative, the founder of the foundation, Miss Njideka King, said the programme was designed to build the capacity of young people and prepare them for self-reliance from an early age.
She said the foundation considers the empowerment of children and women a key part of its mission, noting that equipping young people with practical skills could help them become productive members of society.
“The women and children are the heart of our communities, and empowering them means empowering the future of our communities. With this support, we are not just giving them clippers and materials; we are giving them the tools to rebuild and strengthen their entrepreneurial abilities despite the challenges we face,” she said.
The foundation explained that the decision to focus on children below 17 was deliberate, as it sought to “catch them young” and introduce them to entrepreneurship before they become adults.
According to the organisation, the training would enable the beneficiaries to develop skills they could use to support themselves while still in school and potentially turn barbing into a source of income in the future.
The initiative also served as a back-to-school programme, with the newly trained barbers offering free haircuts to schoolchildren as they prepare to resume classes.
The foundation said the exercise was not only aimed at providing community service but also at creating an opportunity for the young barbers to interact with potential customers, build confidence and establish trust in their newly acquired skills.
Parents of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the foundation for the gesture, pledging to support their children as they develop their skills and pursue their future aspirations.
The empowerment programme is part of the foundation’s broader efforts to promote practical skills development and create opportunities for young people to become economically productive.
The Njideka King Foundation has previously undertaken similar capacity-building initiatives. Last summer, the organisation launched a pilot project focused on training young women in the production of soap and other household consumables as part of efforts to expand their access to economic opportunities.
Through the latest initiative, the foundation is seeking to introduce another generation of young Nigerians to entrepreneurship early in life, while giving them practical tools that can help them become self-reliant.
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