Foundation grants 49 youths one million naira each in Imo

49 young people in Imo have been given N1 million by the Eze Mitchell Egbukole Foundation (EMEF) to launch their companies. Nine individuals also received N500,000 apiece from the foundation. 

The foundation's founder, Ikenna Egbukole, stated that the recipients were chosen from among the 48 communities in the LGAs of Owerri-north, Owerri-west, and Owerri-municipal on Friday at the grant distribution. 

He continued by saying that they were chosen following their participation in a two-day training course covering crucial business management topics like strategy, marketing, customer service, and finances.

He said that the programme was launched in 2019 in memory of his late father, Mitchell Ezesoaga Egbukole, the Egbu community's Ochoronma IV.

“The first initiative programme focused more on the Egbu autonomous community, where five promising young entrepreneurs were granted N1 million each and three others were gifted N300,000 each, totalling N5.9 million for a start. It was launched in 2019,” he said.

“Five years later, we have increased our funding almost tenfold to 54.5 million naira. This is to demonstrate our commitment to supporting entrepreneurship on a broader scale.

“While we wish we could support every applicant, our resources allow us to fund only a selected number.

“Mind you, the grant is a vote of confidence in your potential to drive positive change in your communities, and your emergence was never influenced by anybody. It is entirely on merit.”

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