The Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, Hon. Adebowale Adebayo Falana, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Oyo State Government to promoting strategic partnerships that will expand access to vocational training, skills acquisition and sustainable empowerment opportunities for young people across the state.
Falana gave the assurance during an official inspection visit to the Transformation Haven Caring Hearts Foundation (THCHF), a non-governmental and not-for-profit organisation committed to empowering individuals and communities through education, vocational training, humanitarian support and innovative solutions.
The inspection visit, which took place on Tuesday at the Foundation’s facility in Alabidun, along Airport Road, Ajia, Ibadan, provided the Agency’s leadership with an opportunity to assess the impact of the organisation’s vocational and empowerment programmes on youths, women and other members of the community.
During the tour of the facility, Falana inspected various training sections and interacted with beneficiaries who are acquiring practical skills in bag making, wig making, hairdressing, Adire production, music and fashion design.
The Chairman commended the management of the Foundation for creating an enabling environment where individuals, particularly young people, can discover their talents, acquire productive skills and build a pathway towards economic independence.
He noted that in a rapidly changing society, formal education must be complemented with practical knowledge, creativity and vocational competence, stressing that skills development remains a powerful instrument for reducing unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship and building a productive generation.
Falana said the inspiring testimonies of the trainees further demonstrated the importance of creating opportunities that enable young people to move beyond limitations and embrace their potential.
According to him, vocational training is not merely about learning a trade but about equipping individuals with the confidence, discipline, creativity and capacity to create value and contribute meaningfully to society.
Falana therefore encouraged the management of the Foundation to ensure proper registration and engagement with the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, noting that such collaboration would create greater partnership opportunities and enhance the Foundation’s access to relevant youth-focused initiatives.
He assured the organisation of the Agency’s willingness to explore areas of collaboration capable of strengthening skills acquisition and expanding empowerment opportunities for the youths of the Pacesetter State.
Speaking on the activities of the Foundation, the Chief Executive Officer, Omoditunu Olaopa, explained that THCHF is committed to empowering youths, women, widows and widowers by providing opportunities for them to acquire vocational skills of their choice.
She said the organisation has also continued to demonstrate its commitment to community development through various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, including interventions in education, sports development, empowerment and other social support programmes.
Omoditunu explained that the vision of the Foundation is to create a society where underprivileged individuals and communities can thrive through education, empowerment and innovative solutions.
She added that its mission is centred on empowering individuals and communities through the provision of educational support, humanitarian assistance, transformative programmes and strategic partnerships that promote sustainable growth and lasting positive change.
Beyond vocational empowerment, the Foundation focuses on supporting orphans, vulnerable children, widows and other underprivileged members of society through interventions in education, food security, access to clean water and community-based empowerment programmes.
The visit also featured an interactive session with some of the trainees, whose testimonies reflected the positive impact of the Foundation’s programmes on their lives and aspirations.
Many expressed optimism that the skills they are acquiring would enable them to become self-reliant, financially independent and contributors to economic development.
The inspection underscores the importance of collaboration between government institutions, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders in building a more inclusive system of youth development.
With the right support, partnerships and opportunities, young people can transform their talents into productive enterprises, create employment and become agents of positive change within their communities.
The Chairman was accompanied on the visit by the Executive Secretary, Director of Administration and Supplies, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, a Youth Officer, and the Head of the Media Unit to the Chairman, Opeyemi Rasheed Socrates, alongside other members of staff of the Agency.
The management and staff of Transformation Haven Caring Hearts Foundation received the delegation and expressed appreciation to the Chairman and the Agency for the visit, describing the engagement as an encouraging step towards strengthening collaboration in youth empowerment and community development.
As Oyo State continues to advance its youth development agenda, initiatives such as the Transformation Haven Caring Hearts Foundation stand as a reminder that every young person, regardless of background, deserves an opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
When skills meet opportunity, potential becomes productivity; and when young people are empowered, communities become stronger, economies grow, and the future becomes brighter.
