On Friday 27 February 2009, 24 women graduated from the first skills acquisition programme run by Ipaja Community Link. The day was a celebration of five-months of training on skills such as bead-making, sewing and basic cooking by both the trainees and ICL's trainers, Rosemary and Runke, and Tinuke, ICL's Small Business Enterprise Worker. Over 60 people gathered for the graduation event at Dazzles Hall, near the ICL office in Baruwa. Amongst the audience were representatives from the local government, community leaders, local media and many proud family and friends of the women. When sharing personal experiences of the last five months, Beautrice, one of the trainees, said "I had always admired beads from afar and I never dreamed that I would be able to make them myself. I have Ipaja Community Link to thank for that!" There were displays of beads made by the trainees, a fashion parade with trainees wearing items that they had designed and sewn and food served which was cooked by the trainees on the basic cooking class. Well done to everyone! The next set of women will commence their five-month programme will ICL in April.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteDelighted to be following your blog. I am in the UK and work with Pam Mclean http://learnbydoinguk.blogspot.com/ who is a friend of Yomi. Pam and I work with John Dada of The Fantsuam Foundation at Kafanchan. We also liaise closely with Cicely Brown and Laurie Ellis who are both VSO's at Fantsuam. I wonder if you know them? If not, you might be interested in seeing Cicely's blog: http://cicelyinnigeria.blogspot.com/