NGO trains disabled
By Sunmola Olowookere
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A non Governmental Organization, (NGO), Antwort Consulting has organized skills training and empowerment programmes for people living with disabilities in Ondo state.
At the onset of the training, Individuals living with disabilities were advised to develop their potentials, so that they could restore their dignity and stop begging for alms on the streets.
Making this call was the consultant for Antwort Consulting, Mr. Smith Mbata during the skills training and empowerment programme.
Thirty people were invited for the programme, however 21 people were able to honour the invitation.
According to the consultant, the programme was packaged with support from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The training encompasses make up, manicure and pedicure, headtie and auto gele, wig making, shoe and bag making, confectionery, GSM repair and bead making.
The participants were divided into groups which they showed preference for consisting of seven groups in all.
The programme which started on April 8, 2019 was organised to run for twelve days.
Mbata stated that the programme stemmed from the need to bring out the creativity in people living with disabilities and encourage them to eventually go off the streets.
He expressed optimism that they could make a decent living if they are encouraged to believe in themselves.
He stated that the project has been replicated in nine States including Ondo, Akwa-ibom, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross-river, Imo and Abia states.
He disclosed that each of the participants would be given start up capital for the various skills they specialized in after the training.
He said that those that showed exceptional skills in their chosen fields and desired further training would be encouraged to do so.
The trainers of the different groups were full of praises for the participants describing them as eager, attentive and ready to learn.
Four men who were fully blind made up the group learning about how to make confectioneries.
Their excitement was noteworthy as they took notes in braille and also followed the instructions of their trainers on measurements of ingredients and the preparation of different kind of confectioneries.
Their trainer, Mrs Oluwakemi Ayorinde said that they got the cutting of the chinchin to be fried correctly in spite of the fact that they could not see, while praising them for their attentiveness.
One of them, Karimu Babatunde stated that he wished to learn the trade very well so that he could be able to teach others even those without any visual impairments how to make confectioneries.
Another participant who learnt photography, Isola Shem from Araromi Seaside stated that the skill he learnt from the training will help to augment his meagre income.
Their instructor in photography, Mr. Abiodun Dada said that participants learnt a lot about the trade and could make a living from it if they are determined.
Another trainee who learnt bead making though visually impaired expressed readiness to start the trade as she described it as a lucrative venture.
Most of the trainers and participants interviewed lauded the initiative and thanked the organisers of the programme.
