Maria Magdalena Entrepreneurship Development Centre is part of SpringAid International Development's (SAID Nigeria) Local Access Entrepreneurship Program (LEAP).

The Bible tells us that the love of money is the root of all evils. It never says the acquirement or use of money is the root of all evils. These are two different things. What if I were to tell you that you have forgotten the other side of that saying- which is to say that the lack of money is the root of all evils. Yes, for the lack of money, people steal, lie, and kill, brother betrays brother, sister abandons sister, friends turn to the worst of enemies. Parents even disown their children. All social evils are traceable to the lack of money.

Therefore, people should be taught how to make money from the earliest days of their life, to become a master over money and not let money become one's master. Early education in this regard only will help remove the social, structural barriers as well as individual level mindset and behaviours that live many in poverty but create the mindset for wealth creation.. There is an intrinsic connection between work and money. It is through engagement in work, that money is acquired.

The job market is changing daily brought about by automation, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies that in rapid ways are transforming the nature of work. The impacts of these developments are yet to be known in full. But there is no doubt that it is bringing a whole new socio-cultural and economic world.

Workers are contending with trends that continually challenge their skills and worldview. Many jobs are disappearing, some others are unsustainable. Yet, some jobs require a changing set of skills. All around us we see workers that are at risk at being displaced through technological transformations of work.

While these transformation present risk and challenges for many workers, they also present remarkable opportunities for innovations, new businesses. Of course, these are only available to those who have equipped themselves with the new set of skills, resources and networks required by these new trends. One observes that in the same cities where many people are unemployed, there are also many vacancies waiting to be filled by workers with the relevant and appropriate skill sets.

What these challenges workers to is to up skill and retrain to enable them meet employer/market demand or start their own enterprises. In many places, the school system is not equipped to meet the challenges of these new trends in the market.

In this regard, the importance of establishing and running entrepreneurship centers becomes self-evident especially in economically empowering vulnerable and marginalized individuals and communities. Social entreprenuership is a vital tool to enable individuals and communities solve socio-economic challenges.

Where two-thirds of jobs worldwide are created by small and medium sized businesses, supporting local communities who traditionally are underserved and many times overlooked in government programs in regard to gainful employment, access to capital , in-demand skills, infrastructure as well as necessary eco-system- network becomes vital to creating job opportunities for the teeming youths and sustainable communities.

Maria Magdalena Entrepreneurship Development Center is an initiative that looks to employ technology-based solutions that will engender job creation and sustainable businesses that will generate both financial and social returns through the development of inclusive entrepreneurship mindset, starting and managing own enterprise, resource generation, technology, tackling community challenges through social entreprenuership and networks.

In this way, it will be contributing to building the skill-base of individuals and communities leading to the creation of economic prosperity for both individuals and communities. It is possible to help reduce global poverty and the preventable suffering those living in poverty endure every day through shared prosperity, teaching people the strategies that work.

At Maria Magdalena Entrepreneurship Development Center, we will equip workers with technological, digital and financial literacy as well as the sustainable skills needed to stay apace with the changing job market.

As a non-profit organisation, SAID Nigeria knows and is convinced that great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice. It is never the result of selfishness. Only generous minds attain greatness. That is why we have established this Center to provide needed transformation in mindset for poor and marginalized people. We know that both poverty and wealth are offsprings of thought.

With a definiteness of purpose, anyone can achieve almost anything for which they have unbridled passion and commitment.

You may be poor, but you can begin to create wealth, when you change your mind. Yes, there nothing as powerful in life as a changed mind. You will be learning strategy and action plans to live your dream. The moment you make up your mind, you can get up.

No circumstance, government or power can hold you down! You can either live your dreams or live your fears. No one arises above his or her persuasion. Come on, let your mind be transformed for a prosperous life (Rom 12:2).

We are inviting partners to this program.

Teddy Ihens

(C.E.O SAID Nigeria)