Helping HandsYouth Poverty Emancipation Foundation
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A Nigerian non-profit · Est. 2024

A future where no Nigerian child is held back by poverty.

Helping Hands Youth Poverty Emancipation Foundation equips young Nigerians aged 15–24 with the skills, education, and self-belief to step out of poverty — and into the lives they deserve.

Donate nowExplore our programs
CAC Registered (Nigeria)Founder-led, community-rooted
Skill Acquisition · Educational Support · Mindset Transformation · Community Collaboration · Policy Advocacy · Skill Acquisition · Educational Support · Mindset Transformation · Community Collaboration · Policy Advocacy
40.1%
of Nigerians live below the national poverty line
Source: World Bank
84M+
people directly affected by poverty across Nigeria
Estimated, World Bank / NBS
33.3%
youth unemployment rate (ages 15–34)
National Bureau of Statistics
42.5%
of Nigerians are under 15 years old
UNICEF
Our mission

To empower young Nigerians to rise above poverty and create their own futures — through skill development, education, and mindset transformation.

Vision

A Nigeria where poverty is no longer a hindrance to the dreams and aspirations of any young person.

Who we serve

Young Nigerians aged 15–24 living in poverty — both in-school and out-of-school youth, with deliberate focus on marginalized communities and the Middle Belt.

How we work

We combine vocational training, scholarships, mentorship, and community partnerships into a single, accountable system of support — one young person at a time.

What we do

Five programs, one shared outcome: dignity and opportunity.

Every program is designed to address a different lever of youth poverty — so the change we create is durable, not temporary.

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Skill Acquisition

Hands-on vocational training and entrepreneurship programs in high-growth sectors — technology, agriculture, and renewable energy — paired with one-on-one mentorship to turn skill into income.

📚

Educational Support

Scholarships, tutoring, and career guidance, plus access to online learning platforms — so school stays open as a real option for the children who need it most.

💡

Mindset Transformation

Workshops and coaching that build resilience, self-belief, and financial literacy — because escape from poverty starts with believing escape is possible.

🤝

Community Collaboration

Partnerships with local businesses, NGOs, and government agencies to open doors to internships, jobs, and lasting support networks for our young people.

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Policy Advocacy

Engaging policymakers on youth employment, education, and social protection — so the systems that produce poverty get redesigned, not just managed.

A smiling young African woman wearing a traditional Ankara head wrap
Our story

From a label of "no future ambition" to a foundation that refuses to accept that label for anyone.

Helping Hands was born out of a personal journey. Our founder, Joseph Tobias, grew up in Northern Nigeria amidst hunger, hopelessness, and abandonment — branded with the label of having "no future ambition." What carried him out of that darkness was a deep faith, the power of education, and a community of friends and strangers who showed up with scholarships, encouragement, and hope.

Today, Helping Hands offers that same kind of support to young Nigerians the system has written off. We believe that with the right opportunities, resources, and community backing, every young person can overcome adversity and step into the fullness of who they were created to be.

Joseph Tobias
Founder & Executive Director
How we work

An accountable, whole-person approach.

We don't hand out aid and walk away. We walk alongside young people from first contact through skill, into work, into community.

01

Identify & enroll

Through schools, churches, and community partners we find young people in poverty who are ready for a different future — and enroll them with dignity.

02

Equip & educate

Vocational training, scholarships, and tutoring — combined with mentorship — give each participant a real, marketable path forward.

03

Connect to opportunity

We open doors with local employers, business owners, and partner NGOs so the skill gained becomes income earned.

04

Measure & advocate

We track outcomes, listen to beneficiaries, publish impact, and use what we learn to push for better youth policy across Nigeria.

Get involved

You can rewrite a young Nigerian's story.

There are three doors in. Every one of them changes a life.

Partner

Companies, foundations, and faith communities — collaborate with us on training, internships, and grants that reach young people who need them.

Start a conversation

Volunteer

Bring your time, trade, or expertise — mentor a young person, lead a workshop, or help us run an outreach event.

Sign up
Contact

Let's build a future without poverty — together.

Write to us about partnership, volunteering, scholarship sponsorship, or to share a story. We respond personally.

@
Emailhello@helpinghandsnigeria.org
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HeadquartersRegistered with CAC, Nigeria
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