44 youths share Hero’s N84.5m entrepreneurial grant

By Dominic Adewole

The corporate social initiative of the International Breweries Hero’s Foundation Kickstart Programme has empowered 44 budding entrepreneurs  with N84.5 million business grant.

The beneficiaries who submitted the business proposals, were selected after a rigorous one-week business training at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Business School in Akwa, Anambra state capital, four months ago.

The Governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano, represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, supported by the chairman of the Foundation, the Obi of Onitsha (Agbogidi), HRM Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, in Onitsha during the presentation, warned the recipients against misappropriation of funds and charged them to use the grant to add value to their lives and become employers of labour.

“In Nigeria, running businesses is not for the faint-hearted. I urge you all to keep pushing, do not relent and make the most of this amazing opportunity you have been gifted to create value for yourself and for the society”, the Obi said.

The Governor who described the initiative as a “brilliant and purposeful social responsibility gesture “, expressed joy that the programme, which was embarked upon by the Foundation with sincere passion in core five South Eastern states in 2016 has bridged the gap between the youth and productivity.

The Company Secretary/General Counsel, Mr Muyiwa Ayojimi, at the 2018 edition of the award said the gesture was a poverty alleviating initiative, designed to support young entrepreneurs for expansion of sustainable businesses through material and financial support.

He said, “the ultimate aim of the programme is to instill a culture of entrepreneurship among young people thereby reducing youth unemployment in Nigeria.”

The top winner among the awardees, Ijoma Elizabeth, lauded Internationl Breweries for providing the business grants’ opportunity and granting access to  year-long mentorship, having exposed them to business professionals and experts.