U2S is a YEE model that exists for every unskilled and unemployed youth (ages 18-30 years) here in Nigeria. U2S is a model that was birthed because we are simply disgusted by the alarming number of youth in Nigeria, who are on a daily basis involving themselves in various forms of societal vices here in Nigeria. Currently in Nigeria, the rate of armed robbery, kidnappings, car theft, banditry, thuggery, drug abuse etc are increasing by the day. This is simply because there are no jobs to cater for the teeming youth in Nigeria which accounts for more than 50% of the Nigerian population. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistic, as at the first quarter of 2019, 23.1% of youth in Nigeria were unemployed. Also, according to Action Aid Nigeria (an NGO based here in Nigeria), 16 million youth here in Nigeria are currently unemployed.
U2S thereby seeks to tackle the foregoing issues by training various unemployed youth in Nigeria on various vocational skills like tailoring, hair-dressing, soap-making, bag-making, baking etc. After this training, they are then moved up to the next level which involves a three month intensive training with various already established businesses here in Nigeria. After this intensive training, they are then issued with a certificate attesting to their proficiency in that business. Finally, the next stage is the stage, they are either given a small start-up grant or paired up with various entrepreneurs to start working with them.
U2S is clearly different from other YEE models here in Nigeria that just stops at the point of training various youth on various skills. It goes beyond that by ensuring that these trained youth are also financially independent. We define YEE as the process by which youth gain the ability to make decisions not just for themselves but for others. Any YEE model that does not lead to a youth financial independence does not just cut it for us.