No fewer than 45 girls at the Correctional Centre for Girls in Idi-Araba, Lagos, have successfully completed a six-month advanced skill acquisition training program.
The initiative was organized by SheCan with support from GlobalGiving and in partnership with Cummins.
The project equipped the participants with various vocational skills, including adire tie and dye, catering and pastries, tailoring, hair, bag, wig and shoe making.
In addition to the training provided at the center, girls who had already left the facility received startup grants and essential machinery to help them reintegrate into society and become self-sufficient.
Speaking on the sideline at the graduation ceremony held at the Centre, founder, Shecan Nigeria said Ezinne Ezeani, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, “It is in the power of doing more that we decided to come to the correctional center for girls to empower them. These girls often leave without any viable skills or opportunities, so we thought it wise to provide comprehensive training.”
According to Ezeani, initially, SheCan Nigeria conducted a two-week training program at the center. But, recognizing the need for a more substantial impact, the social impact organisation extended the training to six months.
Over this period, participants have acquired various skills, and the results have been promising.
“We are pleased to announce that several girls who were released earlier this year and some last year are already working. Today, we are empowering them further with sewing machines, mixers, and other tools to boost their businesses,” Ezeani said.
She explained that the decision to focus on the correctional center was deliberate.
“While we conduct other empowerment programs in different locations, we believed it would be particularly impactful to support the girls at the correctional center. As part of their training, the girls completed assignments on the skills they learned, culminating in a grand finale event.”
Reflecting on the broader goals of the initiative, the founder said, “Our bigger picture is for these girls to leave this center and become individuals we can be proud of, having sown a seed of hope into their lives.”
Managing Director of Cummings West Africa Limited, Mark Oni-Okeke expressed satisfaction for the completion of the transformative six-month project.
He said: “Today, we celebrate the success of a six-month project aimed at equipping these girls with valuable skills. As you can see, we now have women proficient in making wigs, bags, shoes, tie-dye materials, and catering.”
According to him, the training program not only focused on hard skills but also emphasized soft skills crucial for entrepreneurship.
“These young women are now fully equipped to face the world. They have learned essential social skills, how to engage, network, collaborate, and effectively manage their businesses.
“The initiative has provided the girls with a comprehensive skill set to ensure their successful reintegration into society. Through this program, they are now prepared to become self-sufficient entrepreneurs, ready to navigate and thrive in the competitive business environment,” Oni-Okeke said.
He added that the project was a collaboration with SheCan Nigeria, an organization renowned for its professionalism and commitment to empowering young
“We partnered with SheCan on this project, and their professionalism is second to none. I’m thrilled with the project’s success and the substantial progress these young women have made.”
SheCan Nigeria’s dedication to empowering young women at the correctional center exemplifies their commitment to making a lasting difference in the lives of marginalized individuals.
