The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Thursday, empowered 10 residents of Anambra State with washing machines, gas/electric cookers, sewing machines and other start-up tools and equipment for business growth.
Speaking at the event held at Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, the State Coordinator of NDE, Mrs Chika Ufelle, disclosed that the beneficiaries were trained and certified under the NDE School on-Wheel (SOW) programme.
According to Ufelle, SOW provides access to training for interested beneficiaries through the deployment of a well-equiped mobile workshop in the rural areas where master trainers are inadequate or non-existent.
“They will be empowered with some Start-up tools and equipment to enable them advance their vocation and be self-employed. To the beneficiaries, please note that the tools and equipment been given to you today are in form of a revolving loan package, which when paid Will further allow many others to benefit.
“I therefore plead with you not to attempt to sell the equipment that will be distributed to you because a process has been activated to monitor your progress and also provide mentorship for your businesses to grow,” she stated.
Earlier, the Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, represented by Mrs Monica Ezepue, said the empowerment programme would have a direct economic impact on the immediate environment of the beneficiaries in the entire state.
In an interview, a beneficiary on Fashion Designing, Miss Calista Oluchukwu, thanked NDE management for affording her the opportunity to own a brand new sewing machine, promising to abide by the rules of paying back the loan as at when due.
