If you ask the average Nigerian child what he or she wants to be when they grow up, you’d get answers ranging from “doctors” to “lawyers,” “aeronautic engineers,” or even “footballers,” all glamorous career paths (as expected from children).
Growing up, children usually have big expectations and dreams for the future. While some dreams come true, most are usually readjusted to fit the parameters that reality offers them.
Settling for watered-down “realistic” versions of what life has to offer due to physical, geographical, financial, and even mental constraints.
Much like NYSC members, who upon registration are filled with the budding hope of a life in service to their country after school. Which originally is an experience that is looked forward to by countless youths as an opportunity for adventure and learning combined with the thrill of being in a new environment for those posted to regions of Nigeria they had never been to.
An experience that has now become one that is dreaded by many due to the country’s recent economic downturn.
Although the Nigeria’s economic growth was predicted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be 3.2% by July 2022, predictions that have now deteriorated to a 3.0 due to the high level of inflation in the country, making it difficult for Nigerian youth corps members to cater for their daily needs, let alone explore options that would lead to financial growth.
Despite the efforts of the federal government to alleviate financial strain on the youth corpers with the initiation of the monthly allowance, which initially was N19,800 Naira per month, which was later increased to 33,000 Naira per month in consideration of the economy, corps members who move to cities far from home can barely keep up with the monthly expenses that come with upkeep or even savings for the future or in case of emergencies
As a result, Rapaid — a subsidiary of TomX Holdings — has been easing the financial burden with the introduction of Khaki Loan, a platform for corp members to access easy and quick loans, as well as its savings and bill payment platforms, all designed to foster a healthy financial environment where corps members can have a financial sense of security, since its launch in August 2022.
In November, upon The Rapaid’s Team’s visit to the Iseyin NYSC camp, they introduced the Khaki Loan to a number of corps members, and these were some of the comments they got from the corps members on site:
“The Khaki Loan initiative was really well thought out, and surprisingly fast too, i was able to get a loan in less than 24 hours and i no longer had to wait for allowee to come before i could pay off my pending bills and paying back would be so easy because they have agreed that i can pay back in bits from my NYSC allowance as the months go by,” said a Corps member from Enugu serving in Ibadan.
Speaking on the trip to the Iseyin NYSC camp, Ayomikun Akintayo, the Chief Growth Officer of TomX Holdings, said, “While we look forward to a better Nigeria, the key to a true national economic revolution lies in Nigerians empowering each other to seize opportunities to better themselves, and this is how Rapaid empowers corps members by giving them access to substantial financial opportunities.”
