By Benson Daniel
No fewer than 600 women, young girls and persons with disabilities have received entrepreneurship and vocational skills training through an empowerment programme organised by the Jummy iCare Foundation in Akure, Ondo State.
The beneficiaries were trained in practical skills including bag making, soap making, sewing and other forms of vocational enterprise designed to help them establish sustainable sources of income.
At the end of the training programme, the foundation presented working tools to the beneficiaries to enable them to begin applying the skills acquired and develop their own businesses.
Nine participants who distinguished themselves during the training also received special awards. Six of them were presented with electric tricycles, while three others received electric motorcycles as additional support for their entrepreneurial activities.
The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Olajumoke Abegunde, said the initiative was driven by a commitment to helping vulnerable members of society become economically independent rather than relying permanently on assistance.
She explained that the foundation’s focus was not simply on providing immediate relief but on equipping beneficiaries with skills, tools and opportunities that could enable them to build sustainable livelihoods.
According to her, empowering women has wider economic and social benefits because women often play significant roles in supporting families and communities.
The programme also placed emphasis on inclusion by deliberately involving persons with disabilities and other groups that may face additional barriers to accessing employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The initiative comes amid growing calls for greater investment in vocational education and small businesses as Nigeria continues to address unemployment, poverty and rising living costs.
For many beneficiaries, access to practical skills and start up tools can provide an alternative to dependence on formal employment, particularly in an economy where opportunities for young people remain limited.
Abegunde said her organisation remained committed to supporting people who needed assistance and helping them develop the capacity to become self reliant.
The Executive Director of Corporate Services at the Niger Delta Development Commission, Ifedayo Abegunde, who attended the programme, urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the skills and equipment provided to improve their livelihoods.
He expressed optimism that the beneficiaries would be able to grow their businesses and achieve greater economic independence if they remained committed to applying the knowledge acquired during the training.
The Olowo of Owo and Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, also commended the initiative and encouraged other individuals and organisations to support programmes aimed at reducing poverty and expanding economic opportunities.
The development highlights the growing importance of private sector and philanthropic interventions in complementing government efforts to promote entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and economic inclusion.
With the beneficiaries now equipped with vocational skills and working tools, the programme is expected to contribute to job creation, household income generation and improved economic participation among women and persons with disabilities in Ondo State.
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