In an attempt to address the problem of poverty in Nigeria,the Catholic Foundation of Nigeria, CARITAS has graduated 720 students on 14 different skills at Badagry, Lagos .
CARITAS, is a non-profit organisation established by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, with a mandate to coordinate humanitarian relief services and development programs on behalf of the Church in Nigeria.The programme, tagged “Building Sustainable Livelihoods in Vibrant Community (B-SLiC) Project, conducted in Badagry Lagos tutored youths and women for three months in various vocational skills.
It was aimed to empower the most vulnerable youths , women and men in climate-smart agricultural practices, animal husbandry, vocational skills , facilitating financial inclusion, increasing access to markets for sustainable household incomes, and improving community resilience.Speaking at the event, Caritas Nigeria Director, Rev. Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechna, represented by the Caritas Nigeria Senior Humanitarian Representative, Mr Friday Al Hassan employed the beneficiaries to make great use of the start up kits.
According to him the project supported by the Conrade Holton Foundation U.S. and carried out by Caritas is to enhance people’s living standards by teaching and equipping people to earn a living.
“The training is tailored in accordance to trainees’ passion so that such passion will be sustained and expand in the society to gainfully engage people and take them away from the street.
The director decried hunger and despair among the people and said that the proper use of the start-up kits would change the economic fortunes of the society.
The participants were trained in different vocational skills such as Plumbing , Carpentry , electrical , Catering , tailoring , beads making , Soap making , Make- up , Barbing , Hair dressing , Mechanic , Aluminum work, Phone repairs among others.Some of the trainees appreciated Caritas and promised to judiciously use the tool kits in the various vocational skills to better their lives and be financially independent.
“We are super excited to be part of the training free of charge and we pray that God bless Caritas Nigeria and the funders more, to be able to reach more vulnerable in the society”
The beneficiaries from different rural areas went home with Hair dryers, sewing machines and iron, makeup up kits, barbing clippers, Ovens, organic chemicals and bottles for liquid soaps and shoe making machines, all free of charge.
