About 83 youths have successfully graduated having acquired various skills from the first phase of a transformative empowerment program conducted by the Ngozi Ekeoma Foundation; a non-governmental organization.
The skills acquisition program provided instruction in fields such as Baking and Pastries, Makeup Artistry, Tailoring and Fashion Designing, Wig Making and Hair Braiding, Computer Graphics, Photography and Photo Editing.
Exceptional graduates were presented with startup equipment and empowerment tools relevant to their acquired skills, including laptops, ovens, pastry equipment, digital cameras, makeup kits, among other items.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at Pa Anyaso Skills Acquisition Center, Onu-Ibina, Igbere Bende LGA, the Special Adviser to Abia state Governor on Trade, Commerce and Industry Chief Nwaka Inem lauded the visionary Barr. Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma for her invaluable contributions to the youth of the state.
Inem emphasized that Abia State is blessed with individuals who believe that progress is not solely the responsibility of the government but noted that lack of conducive leadership had previously deterred many Abians from actively participating in development efforts.
The Governor’s aide however expressed happiness as the state has welcomed a new era under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti, which has ignited a renewed sense of hope and unity among Abians.
Inem highlighted that events such as the empowerment program by the foundation signifies the return of Abians to their roots and their commitment to building a brighter future together.
He extended his heartfelt gratitude to Barr. Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma for not only organizing the program but also for recognizing and encouraging exceptional talents within the community.
To the graduands, Inem encouraged them to embrace the knowledge they have acquired and apply it meaningfully in their lives and society.
He emphasized the importance of sharing one’s blessings with others, as Barr. Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma has done and urged the graduands to be positive forces for change in their various communities.
“As someone has impacted on you positively, I pray that God would bless you so that you will impact on others. That is the beauty of life”, Inem noted.
In an interview with Newsmen, Secretary of the Foundation, Nkese Umo, said the Foundation’s mission is to transform and uplift the lives of both youths and adults through vocational skills.
Umo, who expressed Barr Ekeoma’s passion for education and commitment to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to acquire skills that can elevate their quality of life also pointed out that the objectives of the Foundation is to provide youths a grand opportunity to learn and practice skills highly demanded all over the world.
She said; “The training is basically to improve the quality, competitiveness and productivity of the youths, to build an independent nation which will lead to self-employment, create diverse job opportunities for people and most importantly reduce crime rate in the society”.
The event featured the presentation of certificates to the accomplished graduands marking the beginning of their promising journeys as skilled professionals.
