No fewer than 78 youths and women from the southern senatorial district of Ondo State were trained and empowered with different starter kits for different trades and vocation by the wife of Ondo state Governor, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu.
The training, under the Ondo State Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme (OSSA-EP) in collaboration with Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, focused on eradicating poverty among women and ladies in the state.
Presenting the equipment to the trainers, Mrs. Akeredolu explained that the four weeks intensive training was informed by her determination to ensure women and ladies in the state are self-sufficient and be able to provide for their children and support their families.
She also explained that the training was made intensive to prevent any distraction and ensure the trainees understand the skills they are being trained in within the period.
According to her, the skills acquired by the trainees would help them to be determined, self-reliant and productive, urging them to make use of the starter kits to make money for themselves rather than selling off the kits.
She maintained that the programme would not have been as successful but for the financial support received from some personalities from the district.
She charged the trainees to seize the opportunities presented to them by the programme by ensuring they use the equipment presented to them, urging them to work hard and expand their businesses and never return to the unemployment market.
She said, “I explained how important women’s economic security is; why women have to be economically empowered for families and, by extension, communities to be stable and financially secure.
“I want to reiterate that women’s economic security is inevitable and it is key to achieving stronger, happier, healthier and prouder womanhood. This is what OSSA-EP stands for.
“It is my belief that women have to be economically fortified for the womenfolk to evolve. There’s no alternative to this. It is, on this note, quite fulfilling that we are churning out another batch of experts with various skills.
“I have therefore come to celebrate you and also celebrate with you for being so lucky to have participated in this beautiful programme. No doubt, you have all had a rigorous time acquiring different skills here in the last one month.
“I feel truly proud of you that you did survive the rigour of your training in ICT, solar technology, event planning, make-up and gele-tying, wig-making, fashion designing, bag-making, baking and confectioneries among others.”
The state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, commended the wife of the governor for the people-oriented programme, saying it would go a long way in improving the living standards of many homes.
He noted that the initiative would drastically reduce unemployment and poverty rate in the state, describing the programme as being in tandem with the goal of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration.
Akinterinwa advised the beneficiaries to be focused and ensure they soon become employers of labour which is one of the reasons the wife of the governor embarked on the programme.
The traditional ruler of Ile-Oluji, the Jegun of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, Oba Olufaderin Adetimehin, appreciated Mrs. Akeredolu for bringing smiles on the faces and lives of the beneficiaries.
The monarch, who noted the lives of the beneficiaries who included the physically challenged, would never remain the same, said: “this is a practical example of people taking full dividends of democracy. Arabinrin has transformed our women.
“Your lives and families have been transformed. You have been taught how to fish and feed all through your lives and provide food for others. This is a golden opportunity and we need to appreciate the wife of the governor.
“We’ve had historical empowerment programme, but this has surpassed any that I have known of. You’re no longer going to unemployment market again. A standard has been set for you to improve on it.
“The equipment you’re presented are not meant for leasing but for you to create services to the people. They are not for sale. They are meant for you to start a business and make life easy for you and your family.”
Some of the equipment presented to the beneficiaries include sewing machines, ovens, laptop computers, make-up kits, wig-making kits, among others.
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