The Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation (EMT Foundation) has awarded 41 graduates in Effurun, Delta State, N1 million each as startup capital following their completion of the Batch C Skill Acquisition Programme. The initiative is part of the foundation's Niger Delta Youth Empowerment project aimed at tackling unemployment through vocational training and economic support. Beneficiaries were trained in fashion design, culinary arts, baking, salon services, makeup artistry and gele styling—skills with low entry barriers and high local demand.
In addition to the cash grants, each graduate received starter packs and equipment such as makeup kits, baking tools, generators and deep freezers. The foundation's founder, Esther Matthew Tonlagha, described the event as a recognition of courage, growth and transformation. She urged the beneficiaries to treat the grant as a seed, warning against selling it and encouraging gradual but sustainable business growth.
Tonlagha emphasized that empowerment must include practical tools for economic survival and community impact. The programme seeks to move beyond symbolic gestures by combining skills training with financial support and mentorship. This approach addresses a common flaw in many Nigerian empowerment schemes, where participants receive certificates but lack resources to launch businesses.
Ebimienkumo Abigail, one of the beneficiaries, said the foundation not only trained them but provided the tools needed to begin their businesses. She credited the initiative with contributing to the economic development of the graduands, their families and communities. The foundation's model aligns with growing economic realities in Nigeria, where entrepreneurship is increasingly essential due to shrinking white-collar job opportunities.
Esther Matthew Tonlagha champions long-term empowerment while handing out N1 million cash gifts that could easily be spent without oversight. If the goal is sustainable business growth, the foundation's mentorship component must prevent these grants from becoming one-off handouts. Without accountability measures, even well-designed programmes risk feeding short-term relief rather than lasting change. The real test lies in how many of the 41 beneficiaries are still running businesses a year from now.
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