Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation as part of its strategies and efforts to empower vulnerable households held a 3-day free Empowerment training for widows and vulnerable women at the Ojulogearts World office, Ogudu GRA, from 15th May – 17th May 2018. The beneficiaries of this training were selected from the list of households generated at its 2017 thanksgiving program.
The aims and objectives of the training were:
1. To enable CEF Beneficiaries become eligible to access the Lagos State Government Employment Scheme Loans for start-up business
2. To empower CEF Beneficiaries economically.
3. To leveraging on CEF’s partnership with Ojulogearts World to explore areas where CEF beneficiaries could be integrated into opportunities within Lagos State.
The opening Session comprised of various address and remarks from the Ojulogearts Leadership and Development Initiative (OLADI), Executive Director Mrs. Dorcas Funso-Adebayo, CEF Programme Administrator Mrs. Helen Egbe. They encouraged the participants to pay careful attention to the training and ensure that they utilize the skills learnt from the training to generate income that will be beneficial and add value to the financial capability of their various households.
Mrs. Funso-Adebayo in her address gave the estimated value of the training per participant at N81,000 for the three courses that had been chosen by CEF to empower them. She further disclosed that OLADI charges N27,000 per course for each participant and that CEF by its partnership with OLADI in other areas had defrayed the cost of the training which had been infused as a 3-in-1 course. The courses selected were: Herbal Skin Care, Gele Tying and Make up. Mrs. Helen Egbe encouraged the participant to be of good conduct and become brand ambassadors of CEF as partners who seek to transform the society and change lives.
The course outline for the 3-day programme covered the following topics:
1. Knowing the skin
2. Skin types
3. Skin care
4. Essential & Carrier Oils
5. Introduction to Herbs in Skin Care
6. Family Soap
7. Family cream
8. Ache Soap
9. Ache Cream
10. Body Polish oil
11. Make Up
12. Gele tying
On Day 1, Mrs. Tosin Adegoke, the training facilitator is a certified trainer with the Lagos State under the Young Adult Wealth Creation Project (YAWEC), took the participants through the different skins types, identification of the various skin types, essential and carrier oils needed for the skin, local herbs that can be used for skincare and local materials used in the production of Family Soap, Family Cream, Ache Soap and Ache Cream. A practical demonstration of all the local materials used in the production of the family soap, Ache soap, Family Cream and Ache cream was done.
A recap of day 1 was done by the participants on Day 2, and then a test was conducted by the facilitator to test the understanding of the Participants on the topics covered. Mrs. Tosin Adegoke took the participants through the various materials used in making the body polish oil. She also did a walk-through section of the various powders, brushes and materials used in makeup. A model was used in this section for the practical demonstration, see picture below. Participants were then divided into teams of two to practice the lessons taught. The facilitator then assessed each team and graded their performance.
On the final day of the workshop, Mrs. Tosin Adegoke took the participants through the strategies and steps in Gele tying. Participants were then asked to do a practical demonstration of what they had and learnt. The facilitator then assessed each participant and graded them accordingly.
The highlight of the training was the presentation of certificates to participants by a representative of the Management Team, Ms Stella Ndubuka.
The training ended with the filling of forms by participants for the Mercury Balls grant that will be available later on in the year for business expansion.