Makinde gifts 55 Oyo women sewing machines, kits, N150,000 startup capital

Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, on Monday, handed sewing machines, sewing kits and a startup capital of N150,000 each to 55 women drawn from across the state.

The 55 women are beneficiaries of a two-and-a-half-week training on tailoring sponsored by the office of the wife of the governor in partnership with Vodal Information Management Limited.

At the closing ceremony held at the House of Chiefs, State Secretariat, Ibadan, Mrs Makinde charged the beneficiaries to build on the skills acquired within the short while and be better in the sewing business.

She tasked the women to use the startup capital received to start their sewing business and be resilient towards achieving financial independence for themselves and their families.

Makinde said: “I know that two-and-a-half-week is too short to learn everything about tailoring, so I will encourage you all to keep learning, keep practicing, build on the skills you have learned in the past two and a half weeks, and keep pushing to be the better versions of yourselves. “Of course, there will be challenges along the way, but once you are focused and determined, you will overcome them.”

Partner on the training, Mr Deji Akinniranye, who is Managing Director, Vodal Information Management Limited urged the beneficiaries to improve upon what they had learnt, regularly up-to-date so as to remain relevant in the tailoring business.

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In her own remarks, state Head of Service, Mrs Olubunmi Oni said the training cum empowerment aimed at reducing poverty and inequality in the society.

She charged the 55 beneficiaries to preserve their dignity, cherish the skills acquired, utilise and not sell the empowerment items received but see them as seeds sown that they should nurture to maturity.

Oni stressed that entrepreneurship was the way the go, in today’s society, to prevent people from engaging in political rascality and social vices.

The ceremony was attended by state Commissioners for Public Works and Transport, Professor Dahud Shangodoyin; Women Affairs, Mrs Toyin Balogun; Establishment and Training, Mr Segun Olayiwola; state lawmakers, Mrs Comforter Olajide and Mrs Bisi Oluranti.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE