Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, a renowned philanthropist and 2023 Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, has empowered 53 youths with a total sum of N159 million through his economic empowerment and vocational training initiative.
BusinessDay reports that each beneficiary received N3 million in start-up capital and was enrolled in a fully-funded skills acquisition programme at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. The package covers full tuition, accommodation, monthly stipends, logistics, and other welfare support throughout the training period.
The empowerment programme, spearheaded by the Ebele and Anyichuks Foundation, marks the commencement of the first batch of the scheme, with a second batch scheduled to begin before the end of 2025.
In a press statement, Odii described the initiative as a bold step toward tackling poverty and creating sustainable livelihoods through skill acquisition and entrepreneurship.
“Today marks another significant milestone. These individuals are about to acquire vocational skills that will spark a new dawn of prosperity for their families and communities,” he said.
Odii, an Ebonyi indigene, is known for his far-reaching humanitarian efforts across sectors such as education, healthcare, rural development, and social welfare.
Some of the key achievements of the Ebele and Anyichuks Foundation include: Construction of hundreds of houses for underprivileged families, Development of schools and rural roads across communities, Award of full scholarships to over 1,000 indigent students locally and abroad, Distribution of COVID-19 palliatives to more than 400,000 families in nine states, Startup capital and mentorship for thousands of young entrepreneurs.
The latest empowerment programme, he said, aligns with his long-term vision of building a more inclusive and economically resilient society.
“We started this journey with a deep love for humanity, and by God’s grace, we will continue to the end until His will says otherwise,” Odii said.
He also revealed plans for additional initiatives under the Isuachara Agriculture and Skill Acquisition Empowerment Programme 2025, with more large-scale projects lined up before the year ends.
