A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Lend a Hand Initiative, on Monday said it trained 21 women to acquire skills on soap making, air fresheners, perfume spray and others to reduce poverty in the country.

The founder of the Initiative, Hajiya Saratu Abdullahi-Idris, said this at the graduation ceremony of trainees after two weeks intensive training on various skills to make them self-reliant.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that trainees acquired skills on how to make liquid soap for cleaning kitchen utensils, hand and cars wash, air fresheners, perfume spray, vaseline, rub, confo and hair creams.

She appealed to other well-meaning individuals to engage in similar initiatives to eradicate poverty among vulnerable persons in the Nigerian society.

Abdullahi-Idris, who described the trainees as less privileged women, said they were also given starter packs worth N15, 000 each to start businesses based on the skills they acquired during the training.

She said her organisation would continue to expand its scope to realize its vision to be a reference point for others in the country.

According to her, there is need to call on other well-meaning Nigerians to also invest in charity to assist the less privileged persons, especially women.

Abdullahi-Idris, said the organisation began its maiden training to test the waters and gather some level of experience.

“A race of a 1000 miles starts with a single step, we deliberately decided to start small and we just ended one training to test the waters and gather some level of experience.

“I was moved to start the initiative in 2015 when I visited some parts of the state which were in a state of abject poverty

“And promised that I would start something where I can help the needy and less privileged folk in the society,’’ she said.

According to her, the organisation trained the trainees to encourage the trainer-training programme so that the level of poverty and unemployment will reduce in the state.

Abdullahi-Idris urged the trainees to help other women and youths to become self-reliant by setting up their businesses.

“I initiated this project because of the situation l witnessed in Kaduna State not even in the rural areas.

“The situation is pathetic and what l saw, l thought l was in a local village and l have to ask someone where l am and they told me that l am inside Kaduna.

“l decided to help people but especially the women, youth and the less privileged.

“So my advice to the 21 beneficiaries is for them not to end only here, l want to see them progress into big ventures and enterprises, “she said.

In his remark, the Acting Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Kaduna State, Mr Sani Maiwada, who congratulated the trainees, urged them to use their skills to be self-reliant.

Maiwada lauded the initiative and said the NDE would be willing to support such moves to contribute to reducing poverty among the vulnerable groups in the state.

“Today’s graduands should train more people in their communities and by so doing, poverty and negative vices will reduce in the state,’’ he said. (NAN)

– Apr. 2, 2018 @ 15:55 GMT