Empowering women through skills acquisition

The young biochemistry graduate of the University of Ilorin who studied interior decoration at the centre said she under took the training because she has passion for interior decoration and also because of the prevalent rate of unemployment after graduation today.“White collar jobs are hard to come by. Some when you acquire these skills you […]

The young biochemistry graduate of the University of Ilorin who studied interior decoration at the centre said she under took the training because she has passion for interior decoration and also because of the prevalent rate of unemployment after graduation today.
“White collar jobs are hard to come by. Some when you acquire these skills you have opportunity to do something for yourself, help your family and even be a good mother to your children. It is more or less a white collar job of some sort because when you secure contract to do interior decoration, you earn money and  even more than those who have white collar jobs,” she said.
Loretta Okonkwo another graduand was trained on cosmetology and beauty therapy  said she is a fashion designer but got inspired to go into beauty therapy because a lot of people  have been coming to her seeking make up services.
She said the training afforded her opportunity to learn hair making, how to produce wigs, weave-ons , massaging ,manicure , pedicure and a whole lot.
However, Okonkwo said learning the skills is not enough as some people still have issues setting up businesses of their own. She said it will be better if in addition to the training, the graduants from the centre are given tokens to start off business of their own.
She said some people go and stay at home without working because of lack of financial enablement to set up business while others try hard practice their skills under other people.
Medina Salihu, on her part graduated from the fashion design and garment making programme. She was draped in a very beautiful wedding gown she made herself . She said she went for the skills because she loves fashion adding that she already made some things herself but decided to come to the centre to further develop the skills God has given her. She said it has helped empower her and will empower youths in the country with the backdrop of unemployment situation in the country.
She said instead of staying at home or roaming the streets youths should try to acquire skills and be self reliant.
Salihu agreed that there is need to support graduates of the centre with start capital after graduation or help them easily access loans.
There were also few men among the graduands. Austine Gazalle who was trained in fashion design and garment making said he hopes to set up his fashion design house after the graduation. Asked if he has start-up capital, he said even if he doesn’t have money he hopes to start small by using his house as his shop and gradually he will be able to have money to own a fashion house of his own.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony,   Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina said she wishes to align with the core values that have kept the National Centre for Women Development which is the foremost women’s training, documentation and research institute in the country-committed to achieving women’s empowerment and gender equity.
Represented by the Director of Women Affairs and Social Development of the ministry Mrs Iran Ajifo, she said she hopes that the organization will continue to make remarkable strides in the fight against feminized poverty and unemployment adding that it is expected that the cumulative effects of the training will enhance family income, wealth creation and poverty reduction for the entire citizenry.
The minister lamented that while small and medium scale businesses hold the key to transforming Nigeria’s economy and tackle extreme hunger and poverty, many female owned enterprises are not usually reckoned with by corprorate institutions as women are often discriminated against in terms of having access to economic and political resources.
Earlier, Director General  of the centre, lady Onyeka Onwenu said  the graduating students have acquired kills in various areas such as hospitality and tourism, fashion design and garment making, cosmetology and beauty therapy, interior and outdoor decoration.  
she said others include: Bead and jewelry making , cake baking, decoration and sugar craft, bread making and pastry, and soap making and household hygiene products . In addition she said  in order not to make it merely acquiring skills, the centre introduced civic education, book keeping, gender awareness, self esteem and entrepreneurship development as part of the trainings.
She said the ultimate goal of the programmes is to contribute to poverty reduction and by creating an enabling environment for beneficiaries to attain self-sufficiency and financial independence adding that what is remarkable in the composition of the trainees this year is that there  are more university graduates amongst them.
She said the centre wants to also ensure that women and the girl-child have access to develop skills for life and work and to create a more responsible, engage and cohesive society saying the products on display by the graduands show that is the centre is properly funded it can be a rallying point for the promotion of women made in Nigerian goods.
The Director General said despite  challenges and inadequate funding, “we have resolved to be more focused not to falter; until we place the NCWD; a legacy left us, on the global agenda as true centre of Excellence for Gender Equity and Sustainable Women Development.”
Chairman of NCWD governing council, Dr Bekky Ketebu-Igwe  urged the graduating students to remember that their  sojourn in the centre gave them an added opportunity to explore other areas that would be beneficial to their existence.
She said the graduation of the the 600 women is another milestone in the history of the centre as a benefiting monument of Nigerian women and practical manifestation of the late Dr. Maryam Babnagida’s goals for women emancipation through education, self achievement and mobilization.