A total of 122 women, across the Federal Capital Territory, have received start up capital and equipment to support their businesses and help actualize their dreams of becoming self-reliant.
The empowerment programme, an initiative of the Rasaq Okulaja Empowerment Initiative, trained women in vocational skills including hat making, make up training, soap making, confectionaries, tie and dye among others vocations.
The beneficiaries who were mostly widows and vulnerable women were, over the weekend, presented with different starter packs including, sets of sewing and grinding machines, baking machines and ingredients, make up kits, food items among others.
In her remarks, the President of Rasaq Okulaja Empowerment Initiative, Pastor Mrs. Toyin Okulaja, advised the widows not to look down on theirselves, but rather put to good use what they have learnt in the interest of their families.
She said the foundation named after her late husband, Rev. Rasaq Okulaja, was designed to actualize his plan of supporting the less privileged in society.
Also, the founder of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, while urging the women to take full advantage of the opportunity given to them, tasked them to ensure they in turn empower others.
“I want to challenge the women that have been trained in the past three days not to take this training for granted. Package your package very well, and market your package. With this training, you can go to the international market depending on how well you package your products”, she charged.
Highpoint of the event was the exhibition by the trainees, of items they produced after the three-day training programme, as they all expressed gratitude for the opportunity given them to be self-sufficient, pledging to use the knowledge and items judiciously.
