After WAEC Exams; What Next?

When over 20 of our girls graduated from secondary school in May, I was worried about what next to do? My concern was not baseless. Ijegun is one under-resourced community where you can hardly find things to get youths gainfully engaged. It is a dry community with lots of youths extremely sexually active but idle when it comes to purposeful living. This is one place where the rate of teenage pregnancy is very high. 

Knowing that most parents wouldn't have the money to enroll their out-of-school girls in vocational training, I didn't want to leave things to chance. 'An idle hand' they say, "is the devil's workshop."

In finding solution, I quickly created a Whatsapp group to discuss with some of our volunteers and we resolved to initiate a one-month skill acquisition program and get trainers to teach our girls.

The first meeting held on 6^th June with 22 girls enrolled. We were very strict about the rules and regulations- punctuality, regular attendance, active participation, creativity etc.

We were also encouraged by the passion and commitment displayed by the girls. The training soon turned out to be a life-saver; a treasured platform to learn new skills, get empowered and start their own small scale business.

We were honored to have Aunty Wemimo, aka Nana kick start the training with us. Coming all the way from Anthony Village to Ijegun for one whole week was no easy task but she gave her all to empower the girls. Her inspiring story of struggle as the first child of her parents also taught our girls to look beyond their challenges and stand strong for themselves and their siblings.

Using pieces of clothes from tailors and used Ankara fabrics from our various homes, she taught us how to make rag mats, foot mats, table mats, flower verse, wrist bangles, wall flower etc. The first one week was dedicated to all these. It was an intensive training and the girls proved equal to the task. They were dedicated and determined to learn.

The thrilling part is that making all these does not require heavy capital. All that is needed are pieces of clothes and the loom made by the carpenter.

So, if you have pieces of used clothes, whether old or new, please give us. They are not trash; they can be transformed to beautiful treasures as we have been taught by one of our own- Olutosin Adebowale of TTTTT.