By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
In a bid to tackle unemployment and alleviate poverty among women and the youths, Innerwheel District 911, Nigeria, has trained and empowered 30 persons with vocational skills.
The scheme is aimed at building financial capacity and self empowerment. Beneficiaries were trained in skills such as fashion designing, information technology, make-up art, pastry and confectionery.
Participants at the vocational training centre were indigent Nigerians from Lagos and Ogun states who were selected from various communities to acquire the skills and were provided with the equipment to start their businesses and equally become employers of labour in their respective communities.
The Golden Centenary chairman of the club, Mrs Magdalene Adegoke, said it was the ninth graduating set from the vocational centre since it was established.
Adegoke said they were able to design a comprehensive poverty reduction model nine years ago for unemployed women and youths by establishing a free vocational training centre in Amuwo-Odofin.
She charged them to be diligent with their vocations. The club has been involved in community transformation exercise over the years with different projects as a service organization, just like other philanthropic groups and have been extolled by beneficiaries.
“We had a plan to train and equip 100 persons with vocational skills and equipp them with starter packs. Amazingly, we got just 30 persons for the training and the cost of the training escalated but we are grateful to God that we had an opportunity to impact lives.
“The skill acquisition, equipment and starter packs were designed to fight poverty against women and youths in Lagos and Ogun states.
“The club donated a total of eight ovens, 12 sewing machines, six make- up artistry kits, four lap tops to the 30 people, who participated in the training exercise.”
At the event, the national representative and president national governing body of Innerwheel Clubs in Nigeria, Mrs Zainab Ikheloa, said the idea of the training was to alleviate poverty and bring succour to indigent women. “We equally wanted them to be able to generate income, create safe spaces in their homes, and to increase the capacity of
unemployed women and ensure they have a means of survival,” she said.
Ikheloa stated that with the knowledge acquired at the training they should be able to apply it in their various vocations.”Though it was a vigorous eight weeks of intense learning but it was worth it as the participants would be able to fullfill their inancial obligations, daily bread and meeting school expenses of their children.”
On her part, the chairman, vocational training and empowerment committee, Olori Kafilat Afodun, stressed the need to arrest the increasing unemployment and youth restiveness across communities for meaningful development to take place in the country.
“A lot of youths are indigents and their parents cannot afford to train them, which is why the club started this interventions in order to touch some of these people’s life because our club understand how to do good to people.
“We believe that by the time they are given this equipment, it will be useful to them as a person and their individual families. They will start making money and indirectly we are trying to reduce unemployment within the community, which will reduce insecurity and this is going to lead to a better and greater society,” she said.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed delight on behalf of the graduating set, stating how grateful they are.
A graduate, who has been unemployed for years, Adeyinka Lucky, said she had learnt a trade because her effort towards securing a job had been futile coupled with frustration. So, she decided to learn a trade when the opportunity was offered and she is forever grateful for this.
Orekoya Elizabeth said her joy knew no bounds when she made her first dress. “The train was for two weeks but I became a fashion designer in that same two weeks as our facilitators were hospitable and ensured we got the skill. I will be able to raise money for my UTME exam,” she disclosed.