Shecan Nigeria Trains, Empowers 328 Women In Sura Community
POISED to continually change and positively affect the lives of Nigerian women and girls, Shecan Nigeria, in partnership with NNPC/ SNEPCO, has graduated over 300 women from its yearly skill acquisition programme.
The women, who were drawn from the Sura community in Lagos, underwent rigorous training in vocational skills including tie and dye making, event management, balloon artistry, household chemicals, pastry making and advance- level culinary skills.
Founder, Shecan Nigeria, Ezinne Ezeani, said the just concluded programme empowered 328 women across different vocational areas to become self- sufficient.
Ezeani said over the years, they have reached thousands of women but decided to focus on the Sura community this year. “The last edition was for the whole of Lagos and we had over 2000 participants but this year, we decided to focus on just Sura. Prior to starting the programme, we did our research to understand the needs of women in this community and what businesses thrive here and that was how we picked the courses we did.”
Ezeani said over the years, the programme has held in different states including Enugu, Ebonyi, Ogun and so on, but their partners decided to restrict it to Sura this year. She went on to reveal that another empowerment programme will still be held this year. “We are currently running a six- months programme at the correctional centre for girls in Idi- Araba, which started in October last year and ends at the end of this month,” she said.
Ezeani said the top performers in each class get a N100, 000 grant and startup equipment. “There are four classes in all plus digital marketing for everyone where they all learned how to sell their products and make their handworks more marketable.”
Best student in chemical production, Chinelo Juliet Chikezie said she has always had passion for mixing and producing chemicals. “The programme taught me a lot and exposed me to so many things I did not know. I thank the organisers for putting this together, it was a lifesaver for me and many others as well.”
Another graduate, Comfort Adetimirin, who finished from the Adire Tie and Dye class, said she has always had interest in tie and dye but could not pursue it because of funds. “When I saw this opportunity, I was happy and seized it with both hands. Very soon, my designs will take over the world of adire. I currently have two businesses, one for interior decoration ( Total Home Concepts) and the other for the adire ( House of Confy).”
A past beneficiary, who had gone set up her own business and was on ground as a trainer, Anthony Faith, said she set up Faithrite kitchen after the Shecan training held in Ebonyi State in 2019.