By Adeola Ogunlade
Over 2500 vulnerable women and youths in Lagos and Oyo State have benefited from the skill Acquisition training programme by Arise Foundation for Women, Youth and Family Development.
The training session has different vocation skills such as Tailoring, Hairdressing, Tie and Dye, Event planning, Barbing, Welding, Aluminium, Shoe/ Bag making, decoration, cleaning services, transport, Agricultural farming, animal husbandry.
According to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arise Foundation Mrs. Joke Akinseye said.
said that her passion in changing the lives of the youths and poor women and their families motivated her to embark on skill acquisition programmes for halpless women in these two state which will go a long way in making them self-reliant.
She noted that the women were thereafter provided with business startup tools such as sewing machines, make up kits, hair dryers, stove wicks manufacturing equipment, soap making, Barbing kits, catering tools, stove wicks tools, okada, tricycle, micra vehicle, farming startups vulcanizer’s equipment to start their own business.
She added that young girls have now become responsible business owners and she has been able to reduce unwanted pregnancy among young girls.
Akinseye explained that when you empower a woman; you have empowered a nation because a woman is an agent of change. If given the opportunity, she can build her business, raise her kids, feed her family and employ her neighbours.
“She can influence her children and her entire community. A woman is intelligent and full of potentials that need to be discovered. The world can be transformed in the hand of a woman, if she is given the opportunity. We want to help Nigeria make that dream a reality”, she said.
Akinseye posited that what motivated her work in the community was her background, having lived in the UK (for over two decades), which operate a welfare system, where those who are poor in the society are been looked after by the government or charity organisations to ensure they live a better life. With this background Pastor Joke believes in assisting the down trodden to be lifted up.
According to her “What operates in the UK, is exactly what I am practising here in Nigeria, in the UK. No one can say they have no food to eat, or no education for lack of money. If you want to do business, you have assistance, and also in whatever career you choose to go”.
She added “many of the youths in Nigeria are unemployed and this is sad because they are the future of Nigeria. In the UK we have youths that cause disruptions or antisocial behaviour because they wanted attention, such youth needed love and caring”.
Akinseye further said that empowering the youth acts as a potential which accelerates the economic growth and continue development of a nation. The progress of the youth of Nigeria is a priority to us).