By: Manoah Kikekon
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Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende, the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development and founder of the Real Act of Kindness (RAK) initiative, has facilitated a comprehensive multi-sector empowerment program that equipped 250 youths and educators with practical skills, work equipment, and welfare support.
Implemented through a strategic partnership between the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Prima Viaris Training & Consulting Nigeria, the initiative delivered three specialised training components designed to address digital innovation, renewable energy, and rural educational development across Lagos State.
Highlighting the distribution of tools and technical training across the three cohorts, Ogunlende detailing the scope of the intervention said, "The first programme provided 100 youths with intensive training in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with participants receiving laptops to support the practical application of their newly acquired digital skills.
The second trained another 100 youths in solar technology, empowering them with solar panels and essential working tools to enable them to put their skills into practice and explore opportunities in the renewable energy sector."
He added that, "The third component focused on 50 teachers drawn from riverine and rural communities across Lagos State. Through a week-long Teachers’ Training and Welfare Initiative, the beneficiaries received professional development training alongside laptops, solar devices, safety gear, stipends and essential teaching aids to strengthen their teaching capacity and improve learning outcomes in their respective schools."
The educator-focused segment concluded with a ceremony at the Ivy Hotel on Aromire Avenue in Ikeja. The program deliberately incorporated Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs), reflecting a commitment to broad-based inclusion across underrepresented demographics and hard-to-reach riverine areas.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Ogunlende expressed gratitude to the executing partners while urging participants to leverage their new resources.
"I appreciate NCDMB and Prima Viaris Training & Consulting Nigeria for their commitment and investment in the development of young people and teachers across Lagos State."
"I encourage the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunities provided, deploy their newly acquired skills and resources productively, and extend the impact of the initiative through their contributions to their communities and the future of Lagos State."