SKILLS ACQUISITION: Nsugbe indigenes benefit from the OCI Foundation’s first “Empowerment” program in Anambra State, Nigeria (25/09/2021)

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 (NSUGBE, NIGERIA)

Two of the six young girls that enrolled into the OCI Foundation’s hair dressing empowerment program in Nsugbe (Anambra State of Nigeria), have graduated. The girls, both indigenes of Nsugbe, include Miss Nkeiru NWEKE and Miss Somtoochukwu MGBATAOGU. Nsugbe is the hometown of the OCI Foundation’s President, Assoc. Prof. Chris Ifediora.

The beneficiaries commenced the training course on January 30th, 2021, and were trained by Miss Chizoba UGORJI of the Chizzy Beauty Salon, NOCEN, Nsugbe.

Alongside the young women, two young men, also from Nsugbe, were equally empowered at the same ceremony. Mr Chidera OBI received kits for his barbing salon, along with a generator set, while Mr Chineme NWAKONOBI received all that was required for him to learn tailoring.

At the graduation ceremony, all were empowered with kits that will assist them with independence, as they commence their trades. Representatives of their families attended the ceremony.

The OCI Foundation’s President, Dr Chris Ifediora, was represented at the ceremony by Mrs Anthonia Ngozi CHIGBATA, who is the Overseer of the Foundation’s Empowerment Project. Other members of the Empowerment Team at the event were Mr Chinonso Nwachukwu Mako, Miss Chizoba UGORJI, and Miss Nzube OGBUAGU.

It should be noted that the DIRECT EMPOWERMENT/PUBLIC WELFARE portfolio forms one of the three legs of the ACTIVITY TRIPOD of programs being delivered by the OCI Foundation, an international (Nigerian-Australian) charity organisation. The other two legs of the tripod are on HEALTH (which has the Arm Our Youths Health Campaign as the signature project) and EDUCATION (with six different categories of annual scholarships on offer).

Even though there have been a number of random activities on DIRECT EMPOWERMENT since the OCI Foundation was formed in 2016 (charity visits, masks production, one-off aids, and so on), the current program marks the very first activity that will be executed on a regular, annual basis, starting from this year, 2021. It commenced on the 30th of January, 2021, when six young girls from various the town of Nsugbe (hometown of the OCI Foundation’s Founder), in Anambra State of Nigeria, became the first formal beneficiaries under this scheme.

The EMPOWERMENT or PUBLIC/SOCIAL WELFARE program of the Foundation is primarily designed to benefit less privileged but talented or keen-to-learn individuals that are not in formal education activities, and aims to empower them with skills that will guarantee economic independence.  As stated in the Foundations “Our Work” page, this program portfolio, among other things, aims to “empower and mobilise the youths and other targeted groups with the aim of achieving economic independence through feasible, cost-effective and sustainable means”.

The OCI Foundation’s DIRECT EMPOWERMENT program (including this hair dressing training activity) is being overseen by Mrs Anthonia Ngozi CHIGBATA (Head) and Mr Chinonso NWACHUKWU (Assistant). Both are also indigenes of Nsugbe, and were on ground for the commencement of the maiden program, which is being administered by the “CHIZZY BEAUTY SALON”, within the premises of the NWAFOR ORIZU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (NOCEN), Nsugbe, Nigeria.