No fewer than 150 persons have benefitted from a one-week skill acquisition and empowerment programme at the Kuchingoro Community, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The programme, organised by the Grace Anthony Foundation, an NGO, is tagged “My Hand, My Helper Project”.
Dr Sylvester Ekemhonye, Managing Director of the organisation, said the training was organised to equip women, youths and those living with disabilities with means to function in the society.
He said that the training is aimed at touching the lives of those at the grassroots and to ensure that people get engaged and avoid all forms of social vices.
“In Kuchigoro Community, we are going to be giving them one week skill acquisition training and we will train them on different areas.
“We will be training them on cosmetology, catering and confectionery, fish farming and processing and we will be taking them on make-up, wire works, bead making and others.
“One thing about our training is that they can start with a little capital, as little as N20,000 and we are also making provision to ensure that such amount will be given to them at the end of the training.
“It is no longer news that we have a lot of unemployed in the country, so if every individual that has a skill can also teach others, then the unemployment rate will reduce.
“You do not need to hoard your skill, let someone benefit from you, we know the government cannot do it alone, so we have to encourage individuals to do it,” he said.
Mrs Fati Shaibu, a Deputy Director at the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), appreciated the NGO, while assuring of the agency’s readiness to support participants where necessary.
“With an NGO as Grace Anthony Foundation, the public-private partnership becomes seem less and a reality.
“SMEDAN as an agency is established to facilitate and promote the development of the micro, small and medium enterprises, will continue to give necessary support to facilitate MSME development.
“We assure you that we will do the needful where necessary to compliment the efforts of the NGO, so that they can benefit from some of our empowerment programme,” she said.
Mr Jude Ayaga, a beneficiary, appreciated the NGO for the training, stressing that the knowledge gained would be utilized for their economic emancipation.
“We really appreciate them, it is a thing of joy that an organisation is trying to alleviate the poor.
“We also wish that the government will assist them and collaborate with them, so that they can be able to assist more less privileged ones in this community,” he said.
Another Beneficiary, Ms Anthonia Yusuf, also appreciated the NGO, adding that the skills learnt would be used to improve their livelihoods.
“We thank the Grace Anthony Foundation, we believe that God will continue to strengthen you and what they have come to teach us, we want to assure you that we will not disappoint you,” she said.