Mbuotidem Okorie dreamt of having his own
business, but his disability forced him to beg for a
living without hope of work in Nigeria.
A Shell
programme supporting young entrepreneurs has
helped him and others achieve their ambitions.
Without the use of his legs, and having no
wheelchair or work, 32 year-old paraplegic
Mbuotidem Okorie struggled to get around the
streets of his hometown of Uyo on his hands,
begging for food. It was a stark contrast to his
dream of owning a shoemaking business.
“I was begging on the streets just to survive,” he
says.
Nigeria suffers from very high levels of youth
unemployment. For those with disabilities, finding
work is particularly hard, and there is little social
protection on offer.
From dream into reality
Mbuotidem was nominated by officials from his
home state of Akwa-Ibom for the social
investment programme called Shell LiveWIRE,
which offers knowledge and support to young
entrepreneurs, helping them to turn ideas into
successful businesses. The Shell Petroleum
Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC)
broadened the scheme in 2014 to include people
with disabilities. Around 180 disabled people took
part.
Mbuotidem trained as a shoemaker through Shell
LiveWIRE, which also provided him with a
wheelchair. When he completed the course he
received financial assistance to start his own
business using his new skills.
Now he makes and sells shoes in his own shop. “I
no longer have to beg,” he said.
Mbuotidem he is one of around 5,700 young
Nigerians to have benefited from Shell LiveWIRE
since launched in the country in 2003.
“The Shell LiveWIRE Nigeria programme is a first
step in an exciting journey to success,” said Nedo
Osayande, Sustainable Development and
Community Relations manager at SPDC. “This is
the first time the programme is focusing on
people with disabilities. We are sure they will
continue the successes of thousands previous
Nigerian participants.”
Helping others
Agnes Udo, who is severely hearing and speech
impaired, survived on the charity of friends and
family until she took part in Shell LiveWIRE. She
now runs a successful poultry farm, using her
business training and start-up grant.
Thirty-year old Tom Ezekiel, who is blind, was
unemployed before starting the training. Even
before finishing the course, he too had opened a
chicken farm.
“I was doing nothing before the training,” Tom
says. “With the support of the programme, I am
really pleased that I am now employed.”
LiveWIRE also offers training for disabled people
already in work who want to improve their skills or
set up on their own.
Although 32 year-old Joseph Richard lost his sight
when he was15, he manages a shop selling
ceremonial beads that are an important part of
Nigerian culture.
“I learnt how to improve my bead making skills
and how to be independent,” Joseph says. “I also
learnt how to run a business.”
Joseph is now planning to set up his own bead-
making company, a venture that could create
employment for others.
For more information on the Shell LiveWIRE
Programme
http://www.shell.com/global/environment-
society/society/social-investment/enterprise-
development.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YikKWTQtEE
http://www.shell-livewire.org/
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