The Centre For International Migration Development (CIM), in collaboration with Equal Chance Support Foundation, an NGO, has empowered 30 youths in Oyo State with sewing machines, to curb illegal migration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the empowerment programme, tagged: “Naija Awareness Truck”, were also supported by other NGOs, such as Afrotax Cybernomads and Chance Eine Weit, based in Germany.
Speaking at the programme on Monday, the National Coordinator of Equal Chance Support Foundation, Mrs Omolara Adeyoju, said that the beneficiaries were carefully selected to ensure that the empowerment reached the targetted individuals.
Adeyoju said that the people selected for the empowerment were those who had learnt fashion designing but could not afford sewing machines.
She said that the NGOs had discovered that some people, after learning fashion designing, would go elsewhere to work in order to raise money to buy their machines, adding that some, in the process, would embark on illegal migration to other countries.
“The main objective of this empowerment is that the European governments are trying as much as possible to stop and discourage people from illegal migration to Europe, going through Kano, Libya, Sahara desert.
“If these people are engaged in something meaningful, they will stay at home, stop illegal migration, make money, feed their family and be satisfied.
“We chose people who had learned sewing, both male and female, but who cannot afford to buy sewing machines. They will be given the machines free of charge as a way of empowering them,” Adeyoju said.
She said that the beneficiaries would also be provided with materials for making face masks, adding that they would be asked to sew the face masks for two days before going with the machines.
The coordinator said that the making of the face masks by the beneficiaries would serve as their own way of giving back to their communities.
Adeyoju said that the face masks made by the beneficiaries would be distributed in public schools and market places.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Kaosara Salami appreciated the NGOs for their support, pledging that they would not to sell the sewing machines given to them but use it to improve their livelihood. (NAN)
