Less
than one year of the establishment of her pet project, Caring Family
Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), the wife of the governor of Anambra
State, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano has trained a total of 273 women
and men in different small scale businesses. The breakdown of those
trained are tailoring which has 26 persons, soap making – 41, hair
dressing and beauty therapy – 62, bakery/confectionaries – 52 and
community health workers – 92.- CAFÉ empowerment motorbikes
Giving
hints of the empowerment programmes during the celebration of the One
Year in Office of the administration of her husband the governor at Alex
Ekwueme Square, Awka on March 17, this year, Chief (Mrs.) Obiano said
the empowerment is part of the objectives for which CAFÉ was founded.
According
to the wife of the governor, ‘My pet project CAFÉ not only trains but
also provides assistance to the beneficiaries to set up their businesses
and hopefully sustain themselves and assist in the upkeep of their
families, as well as the growth and progress of Anambra by contributing
to the revenue base. This initiative is borne out of my passion to
empower and put smiles on the faces of the indigent and the less
privileged and help them improve on productivity.”
Continuing
Mrs. Obiano said: ‘’the 92 trainees in community health work would
attend to pregnant women in the rural and hard to reach areas of the
state, adding that they would be provided with motorbike equipped with
carriages for mother and baby and telephone handsets in order for them
to respond to emergencies.’’
She
further stated, “This is part of what I am doing to assist the governor
to improve the fortunes of the hardworking people of Anambra and to
move the State forward.” Mrs. Obiano disclosed that CAFÉ activities are
funded through donations from philanthropists and well-wishers, and
specifically appreciated the efforts of Prince Engr. Arthur Eze amongst
other corporate bodies that had supported her pet project.
The
beneficiaries were equally given items like tailoring machines and
clothing materials, Hair Dryers and hair wash basins, Gas cookers, Soap
cutters, and the motorbikes, as well as undisclosed sum as start-up
capital for the businesses.
Governor
Obiano who accompanied his wife Ebelechukwu to unveil the empowerment
items which were distributed to the beneficiary women, some men and
indigent persons noted that his administration was leaving no stone
unturned in its determination to equip the citizens with requisite
skills for self-reliance and national development.
He
said that, just recently, about 500 persons were trained at the
Vocational and Technological Incubation Centre at Nnewi, while another
500 have been taken for training adding that after their training,
another set would be listed for training.
The
governor stated that about 250 men and women were presently undergoing
two-month training at the College of Agriculture at Mgbakwu, Awka North
Council Area adding that on completion, another group would be sent
on similar training programme. He said those trained would serve as
handy labour for the mechanized agricultural investments the government
has attracted to the state.