AWACIO

Visitation to the Community
There was a meeting in GOSA community with the Chief of area, Emmanuel Sariki and other titled persons. The essence of this meeting was to communicate TOTAL E&P, Nigeria, Ltd.’s intention to empower the youth within and around the GOSA Community to become small business owners via AWACIO as the representing NGO. It was also an opportunity to ensure the full co-operation of Chief Emmanuel Sariki and the natives of the community, as well as, create awareness prior to the commencement of the training. AWACIO representatives were received warmly by the chief and elders, and they commended the efforts and generosity of TOTAL E&P, Nigeria, Ltd, on their goal to eradicate poverty through the empowerment programs in communities. In appreciation of this laudable venture, and to show his support, the Chief instructed that AWACIO be given every assistance required to make the program a success, taking into considerations our plans and logistics.
AWACIO representatives also visited the neighboring district of the Gosa village, called Togi to create awareness and encourage them to participate in the program. The village Chief, Joshua Auta, also showed appreciation for TOTAL E&P, Nigeria, Ltd.’s, efforts and generosity, and pledged his support by encouraging his youth to participate in the program.
Below are some of the pictures taking during the visit to the community:

Fig 1: AWACIO representatives with the chief and community leaders

 

Pre-Training Events
The objective of the agreement between TOTAL E&P Nigeria, Ltd and AWACIO is to empower youth in Gosa Community and provide them with opportunities for increased income via the provision of skill training, appropriate equipment, financial advice, and other means to generate and make profit in the long run. We believe that they will eventually become useful and economically empowered indigenes within the community, and are able to train others too. The joy of this program is seeing industrious young men and women contributing garishly to enhance the lifestyle and livelihood in their families, and community.
Aids for Women, Adolescents and Children International Organization (AWACIO), a Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) in collaboration with TOTAL in Nigeria on May, started the training of Forty-four (44) youth in Gosa community, Abuja, with skill development in five (5) core entrepreneurial areas. The training which lasted for 6 weeks was expected to bolster the youth in acquiring skills in the areas of Tiling, Tailoring, Catering, Hair Dressing and CCTV and DSTV installation. These skills, once surmounted, are expected to be turned into lucrative businesses for self-empowerment. After the training, each youth went home with a starter pack (tools relevant to the acquired skills) to start up their own business.
The kick-off of the program, held at Gosa community primary school, witnessed a massive turn-up of eighty-eight (88) youth of which only Forty-four (44) of them were selected after a very rigorous screening exercises. Most of the youth were eliminated because they did not meet the criteria or pass the conducted text. The conducted text was to ascertain the seriousness and commitment of the trainees such as punctuality, level of attentiveness, ability to demonstrate, and more.

 

 
Fig 2: Screening/selection process.

 

 

 

The Training Event
The trainees were divided into groups based on their skills, and allowed to kick off their training process. AWACIO field representatives were assigned to supervise each of the groups, and to ensure proper evaluation and monitoring of the training process. Trainers and trainees alike were charged with expectations and requirements until the day the training is completed.

1. Hair Dressing:

The trainer began this section by introducing the various tools and equipment used in Hair dressing and also how to make use of each of them. The trainees were taught on application of relaxer on the hair, how to make braided wig cap, hair braids, weaving, weavon fixing, washing of hair using shampoo and applying hair treatments, etc.

Fig 3: Hair dressing section

1. CCTV and DSTV installation:

The tools and equipment used for the installation of CCTV and DSTV was introduced. The topics taught during the course of the training include the installation of Digital Video Recorder (DVR), Camera, Hard disk, wire, Adapter and Tv monitor, connection of cables and connectors to Digital Video recorder in the control room, positioning a satellite dish to get a clear signal.
 
Fig 4: CCTV/DSTV installation group

1. Catering/Pastery:

The tools and materials used for Pastry and Catering was introduced, the trainees were taught to bake Cakes, chin-chin, meat pies, Buns, Shawarma, donuts, cake decorations etc.
 
    Fig 5: Catering/Pastery group

 

1. Tailoring:

The tools/equipment used in tailoring was introduced and how to make use of the them, the trainees were taught to make different kinds of school uniform and sport wears for children in school, female blouses and skirts, short knickers for kids, men’s tops and trouser, etc.

Fig 6: Tailoring Section

1. Tiling Section

In this section, the topic covered include the art of assembling, screwing and laying of tiles, the trainees were taught to identify the different types of tile setting and the appropriate conditions for using each particular style, on their subsequent meeting, they were taught how to cut tiles using a cutting machine, the use of pinches to trim tiles and plumb for checking the level of ground or floor to be tiled. etc.

Fig 7: Tiling Section
Graduation Ceremony for the Youth
At the graduation ceremony Total Representatives, Chief of GOSA community and Togi and AWACIO were present.
The Executive General Manager, Cooperate Social Responsibility Total Nigeria, Mr. Vincent Nnadi, during the graduation program of the youth in the community, stressed those skills acquisition remained the bedrock to get the country out of recession.
According to him, white-collar jobs are no longer available; hence the need for youth to continue to acquire skills so as to sustain themselves and to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The era of white collar job is gone and it has become increasing necessary to move from seeking office work to gainful self-employment in our chosen vocations; we believe that this approach is sustainable and geared towards reducing unemployment in the shortest time possible. He disclosed that though 50 people were trained, 44 entrepreneurs were being graduated after undergoing livelihood training in tailoring, tiling, hair dressing, cable and CCTV installation, catering and pastry making.
The Chief Executive Officer of AWACIO, Dr Claudia Okeke, in her remarks, disclosed that the trainers went through six weeks (6) intensive training in an effort to support them and to enable them to impact their community.
“This training program is a conscious effort by Total E&P and AWACIO to ensure that the youth acquire skills and also pass it on to other members of the community so that a larger number of people in the community would become self-sustaining,” She said.
She further disclosed that AWACIO had been supporting youths and women in different communities in the FCT for the past six years, adding that they had worked in Abaji, Kwali and Bwari area councils. She said, “There are still plans to scale up interventions to as many communities as possible so as to curb crime in the society. The intention is to transform any community we intervene in making as many of the youth in the community self-sustaining.”
The participants were presented with equipment such as tailoring machines, head dryers, baking ovens, tiling instrument, and CCTV installation equipment.
The media was not left out in the events, the events were covered by the news channel NTA 24 and the representative of the Guardian newspaper.