By Yang Ater Yang
At least 43 women in Mingkaman, Lakes State of South Sudan have graduated in tailoring and hairdressing skills.
The graduands, comprising 21 hairdressers and 22 tailors, graduated after 5 months of vocational skills training.
Church-based charity organization, Finn Church Aid (FCA) funded the training with support of Finland Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
A beneficiary, Ayen Achiek, a mother of seven children, who graduated in hairdressing, said they received start-up kits to open up their own businesses.
Other graduands trained on tailoring, received sewing machines as start-up packages during their send off, on Tuesday.
Mrs. Ayen said the skills and knowledge will help them improve socioeconomic well-being of their families.
“Now, we are graduating, and tomorrow we are going to open up our businesses, and the little that we get will feed our kids and other family members,” she said.
Ayen appreciates Finn Church Aid for opening their eyes to learn skills in tailoring and hairdressing.
She recalled that her first skill was the traditional old skill of hairdressing, and she did not have a saloon.
“I was working as a helper for someone, but now I will be able to do my own business and feed my children,” she said.
Ayen, a mother of seven children, lamented that her husband also got married a second wife and has a grandmother at home.
“Now, I will work to feed ourselves,” she said with a relief.
James Chuti Manyiel, the assistant executive director, representing Awerial county leadership at the function, commended Finn Church Aid for supporting training the women on life skills.
He encouraged the graduates to perform better to improve their socio-economic well-being with the knowledge and skills they attained in order to put food on the table for their families.
“I also encourage Finn Church Aid to include youth in their empowerment projects in order for them to acquire basic skills and knowledge in tailoring and other life skills,” he added.
Mr. Chuti said the empowerment boasts the economy, not only of the women but also the county.
“Mingkaman market has a big capacity to accommodate all this batch and their businesses can go on well. The market is very big, and it has a large population with opportunities for doing any business,” he said.
Hilary Andruga is the field officer for Finn Church Aid- South Sudan in Awerial County, Lakes State.
He said the beneficiaries of the program were trained under the first phase of 2023 project frame.
According to Andrga, the beneficiaries comprised 21 Internally Displaced Persons and 22 host community members.
At least11 sewing machines with assorted items like “Kitenge”, hard and soft poplins were given to tailoring graduates.
Meanwhile the 21 hairdressing graduates forming five groups, each with four members received start-up kits to support them to open their own businesses.
Finn church aid field officer said the other phase of training commenced on July 3, 2023.
Community chiefs, county local government officials, women, and youth, attended the graduation ceremony in Mingkaman, Awerial County.