Vocational training centre holds maiden graduation for 16 women
The ISFIL Vocational Training Centre at Awutu Bawjiase, established by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, to provide free three-year training in dressmaking for the youth in the area, is making strides.
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The centre was set up by Ms Tetteh, who is also the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West Constituency in the Central Region, to particularly train the youth in dressmaking, through the initiative of two fashion designers, Filista Nai Osardu and Ismaila Andoh, under a project dubbed, “ISFIL Community Help Initiative’’.
So far, the MP, who acquired the place being used for the training of the apprentices, has also provided 30 industrial sewing machines and other materials for the centre to facilitate their training.
The centre has about 41 apprentices from Bawjiase and its surrounding communities who have taken advantage of the initiative to acquire entrepreneurial skills in dressmaking and set up their own businesses in order to improve their lives.
Maiden graduation
At a maiden graduation ceremony for 16 apprentices last Saturday, Madam Tetteh said the move was to empower the youth in the area to be productive and improve their living conditions.
Each of the graduands was presented with a hand sewing machine and motor, scissors, pins and a tape measure, while those who distinguished themselves received an iron each.
She stated that it was important that those who could not continue their education to the senior high school level were given the opportunity to acquire skills for their personal development and that of society in general.
She also said the centre had come to stay and, therefore, admonished the youth in the area who were interested in learning such a trade to register with the centre to enable them to benefit from the programme.
According to her, some youth who wanted to learn dressmaking were currently at home, since their parents could not afford to sponsor them financially. She, therefore, entreated them to take the opportunity to benefit from the free training at the centre.
Ms Tetteh urged the graduands to ensure that others in society benefited from the skills and knowledge they had acquired, and urged them to adopt prudent management practices to sustain their respective businesses for the benefit of society.
The District Chief Executive for Awutu Senya, Mr Sampson Abbey Armah, welcomed the MP’s initiative, describing it as a positive step that was in line with the government’s efforts to empower the youth in the country.
The Administrator at ISFIL, Mr Filista Nai Osardu, asked the graduands not to stay idle at home but to make use of the equipment presented to them by starting their own businesses.
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