NGO Empowers 80 Rural Women In Kogi »

A kogi state-based Non-governmental organization, Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF) in Emagaba, Ogugu, Olamaboro Local Government Area says it has empowered at least, 80 women in rural communities on practical functional skills in the state.

Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, the Executive Director of LMF, disclosed to journalists on Friday in Emagaba at the three-day workshop.

Duaglobalnews reports that the workshop was organised as part of activities to mark the International Women’s Day 2020, which has the theme: ”Skills For Women Empowerment.”

According to her, the NGO marks this year’s Day in a different dimension “because we understand the roles of a woman in the society; as a wife, mother, community builder, among others.”

”When a woman is empowered to have such basic practical skills, she is able to affect more than herself and also impact her girl-child and the society at large,”she said.

The executive director expressed delight over the large turn out of participants at the workshop.

”We are excited for the number of women that turnout for the training; we were expecting a maximum of 50 women, but it turned out to be over 80 participants.”

According to her, during the three-day workshop the women across various age groups will be sensitised on personal wealth creation, personal hygiene, home management and leadership receive training on various practical functional skills to better their lives.

Osikoya, a former Kogi Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, added that the skills for women empowerment programmes would be in six sessions.

She explained that at the end of the workshop, participants would have learnt the Basic Modula Trade and receive Certificate from NABTEB.

She noted that the foundation’s institute, Chateko Vocational Institute at Ileke Emonoja, currently had 16 student trainees on Garment making, adding that they were on full scholarship with accommodation and feeding.

The former commissioner described the workshop as encompassing ” good awareness campaign, good sensitisation and lifelong learning activities, good community participation and empowerment.”

She,therefore, appealed to individuals, groups, communities as well as corporate organisations to support and partner with the NGO in terms of sponsorship, donations and human capital development.

Contributing, Mrs Christiana Tolufashe, an instructor, said that the women were trained on how to bake and decorate cake of various types, puff puff, buns, sobo drinks, plantain chips, soap making, among others.

Tolufashe, who said that the workshop was also to instill the culture of self reliance on women, advised participants to utilise the opportunity with a view to starting something with as little capital as N2,000.

Mrs Ladi Daniel, (65), one of the participsnts, commended the NGO for the gesture.

Daniel, who reflected on the adage which says that”‘No knowledge is lost,”urged the younger generation to use every opportunity at their disposal to learn a skill in order to be self reliant and be employers of labour.

Mr James Onoja, the Emagaba Community Leader, lauded the foundation for coming to the rural communities, to empower their women in order to have a source of income and be self dependent.