By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi Foundation said it has empowered 150 out-of-school girls in Ogun State within the last ten years, with many of them making significant contributions to the economy of the nation.

The Executive Secretary of the foundation, Mr Uwayzor Richard, disclosed this at the empowerment programme for eight new graduates that recently completed their one-year compulsory training in fashion designing and catering, in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The beneficiaries were supported with relevant working tools such as sewing machines, movable oven, gas cylinders, among others, as well as N50,000 each as a take-off grant.

According to Uwayzor, the empowerment of the out-of-school girls marked a decade of the foundation’s commitment to helping the vulnerable people in the society to achieve financial independence.

He stated, “We’ve seen young women, previously facing daunting odds, blossom into skilled artisans and entrepreneurs in diverse fields such as shoe making, auto mechanics, hairdressing, fashion design and catering.

“The most heartwarming testament to their dedication and our collective efforts is that most of our beneficiaries now proudly own and operate their own successful businesses.

“This is not just a statistic; it represents tangible empowerment, economic independence, and a ripple effect of positive change within their families and communities.”

While congratulating the graduands of the empowerment training, Uwayzor urged them to dare to be innovative, be bold and courageous in following through their dreams, and be worthy ambassadors of the NGO, just like their predecessors.

He equally urged 12 other newly admitted beneficiaries of the one-year empowerment exercise to gear up for the task ahead, saying that the foundation is spending a huge some of money on their training and will therefore not hesitate to sanction whoever is taking the opportunity for granted.

Speaking at the empowerment ceremony, the Ogun State Coordinator of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board, Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Nwachukwu, advocated for the empowerment of the out-of-school girls to combat vices such as prostitution, break the cycle of poverty and increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

Nwachukwu said, “It is globally known that an empowered girl child is an asset, a woman who has something meaningful doing, earning income is an asset to herself, to the family and the nation at large and there’s no better way to break the cycle of poverty than by empowering women economically.”

Nwachukwu explained that the way to combat growing crime among the youth is to ensure that they are gainfully engaged through vocational training.

She added, “How is it possible for someone who had been to work since morning to turn out to be hook-up girls in the night? When our youth are engaged in the country, the crime rate will reduce, and we will be able to fight poverty too.

“Our GDP will also increase because with your vocational skills, you will also be employers of labour, helping to create wealth, so vocational training is the way to go, even those who could do things with their hands abroad are making so much money.”

She, however, urged the graduands to register for the modular examination of the board, as it will help them to get certification and create better opportunities for themselves.

Nwachukwu hailed the invaluable support of the foundation in creating not just a better life for the beneficiaries of its various interventions but also in helping the government to build a strong economic base for the country.