NGO empowers 38 indigent girls, ladies in C’ River

An NGO in Cross River, Girls Leading Africa (GLA),  has trained 38 young girls and ladies in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), catering, and fashion designing.

The beneficiaries, aged between 13 years and 25 years were picked from Akpap-Okoyong, Usung Urua, and Ikoneto communities and were trained for one year.

Speaking at their graduation on Monday in Calabar, Founder of GLA, Giftie Umo, stressed the importance of education and said the training was the NGO’s way of empowering women and reducing dependency.

Umo said such training would also help to curb teenage pregnancy, social pressures, and over-dependence on partners.

“As we send forth our first class of 38 girls, we are most importantly reminded that access to education and training for women and girls is significant in improving families and communities,’’ she said.

In his remarks, Chief Effiong Andong, Chairman of Okoyong Traditional Rulers Council in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River commended the organisers of the training.

Speaking through Mr Ekpo Okon, a community leader, Andong called on other groups and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate GLA to reduce the number of unskilled and unemployed youths.

“We urge the beneficiaries to utilise the skills they have acquired to better themselves and their families and also call on other groups to do the same to get our youths skilled and employed,’’ Okon said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mary Godwin, commended the initiators, saying that the one-year training was impactful and enriching.

She said the skills acquired would help beneficiaries to become small-scale entrepreneurs and impact on other young women.

Some of the best graduating trainees received start-up equipment such as sewing machines, computer accessories, and catering materials. (NAN)