Alor Women empower 31youths with SME start up kits, sue for peace

By Uzo Ugwunze

The Alor Women’s general body has empowered 31 youths who successfully completed their skill acquisition training with start up kits to commence their Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The women also sued for peace concerning feuding families having disputes and prayed for the entire Alor Community currently experiencing traditional rulership tussle.

Presenting her address during the annual August meeting, Alor Community Women Leader, Mrs Uchenna Nwoye, JP said that the money realized for skill acquisition during the 2019 August meeting served the intended purposes.

“The money mapped out for skill acquisition cum empowerment was judiciously used. Thirty one youths including males and females selected from all the villages went for training at the Idemili South Secretariat.

“The first batch of 31 youths who completed their skill acquisition were trained on bead making, headscarf tying, professional make-up, catering, interior & exterior decoration, hairdressing among others.

“After the skills acquisition, the resource persons who taught the youths were paid 80, 000 naira each while the 31 youths were empowered with 40,000 naira each to purchase Start up kits,” said Nwoye.

The women leader said that plans were ongoing to recruit the second batch of youths for the skills acquisition and empowerment according to their motto “Nwanyi anona nkiti – women should not be idle”.

Moreso, she eulogized the philanthropy of the illustrous sons of Alor Community who distributed palliatives during the Covid 19 lockdown to alleviate the hunger ravaging the poor masses.

“My special thanks goes to Senator Chris Ngige and the PG Alor People’s Assembly, Chief Uzoma Igbonwa who both distributed 5000 naira each to 2000 families including bags of rice and noodles.

“I also thank Barr. Chuka Ezenwune, Idemili South Anambra House of Assembly member who gave us Covid 19 preventive items and 300 bags of 5kg rice,” said Nwoye.

Mrs Nwoye noted that Alor Women will not relent in praying for the peace of the community calling on State government to intervene in the crises sorrounding the community throne.

The Women’s Vice president, Lady Ifeoma Uzokwe said that the women were keen to ensure that every Alor youth embraces further education or learns a skill as a panacea to poverty and social vices.

“Youths should embrace skill acquisition or education for profitable or self employment. They should accept Jesus Christ and shun vices like smoking of cigarettes or hard drugs which is the major cause of insanity.

Moreover, Uruezeani village women’s leader, Mrs Lucy Izuegbunam said that the Women’s leadership had been trying to establish Nkwo Alor market as a daily market but solicited for a borehole to ensure water supply for the toilets.

“She said that all the women selling wares on the streets have been mandated to move into the Nkwo market so as to translate the market into a viable daily market,” said Izuegbunam.

Earlier in her homily themed ‘In his Presence’, Evangelist Dr. Chika Ezeudo admonished the women on the need to involve God in their marriages, homes, business and career to achieve good success.

“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Without Christ there will be so many crosses. Only Christ can make difficult situations easier for the hurting and help you succeed in life.

“People should learn to relate to each other with love. Mothers-in-law should take it easy with their daughters in law and vice versa.

“If your daughter in-law misbehaves correct her in love as part of the family not as someone who snatched away your son from you. Teach and treat them as your own daughters.

“Daughter in-law who abhors or disrespects her mother inlaw should know that one day she will become someone’s mother inlaw,” Ezeudo quipped.

Highlights of the August meeting include fervent prayers for peace and unity, settling of disputes and appraisal of annual reports.