At least 95 youth and women have graduated after completing three months of training in hairdressing, agriculture, masonry, and tailoring in Wulu County, Lakes State.
The training implemented by the Disable Agency for Rehabilitation and Development (DARD) was supported by Oxfam and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), to provide them with skills that will help them become independent and contribute to their communities.
Gabriel Majok Mayom from the state Minister of Labour and Public Service and Human Resources Development attended the graduation ceremony and expressed gratitude to DARD, Oxfam, and those who contributed to the project.
Mayom assured the students that their certificates were not just theoretical but practical and that they would be recommended or employed automatically by the Ministry of Labor if they were looking for a job.
Program assistant for DARD organization, Arany Yodo Matap, stated that the training lasted for three months, with 63 females graduating and the rest being males.
“The goal was to help these groups establish themselves as businesses, providing income and indirectly benefiting the community they will stay with,” he said.
They received start-up kits, including computers, printers, and other necessary equipment for starting their businesses. The masonry group received individual kits, including spat, measuring taps, and other materials for their businesses. The hairdressing group received materials for female saloons, shampoo, oil, and hair. The initiative aimed to help students start their businesses and provide them with the necessary tools to succeed in their chosen fields,” Yodo stated.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Momu Makuac, a farmer in Wulu County, Lakes State, expressed her gratitude to DARD and Oxfam for their excellent training and support.
She expressed her intention to train more people in the village, helping women who have suffered for so long to grow vegetable farms and provide financial support for their children.
Momu mentioned that the Disabled Association for Rehabilitation and Development (DARD) and Oxfam have provided excellent training to women who have suffered for a long time.
“They have helped them move forward and plan to train more people in the village, such as women who lack knowledge about vegetable farming, to help them earn money and provide their children with education, thereby eliminating the need for children to stay home due to school fees in Wulu County.”
John Abiel, a participant in an ICT training program in Wulu county, completed eight packages of training through the DARD organization and Oxfam.
The graduation ceremony took place in Rumbek, and the youth are grateful to Oxfam and DARD for supporting their project.
Joice Mbolo, a tailoring participant in Wulu, was trained on how to use a tailoring machine and expressed her satisfaction with the training.
She believes that this knowledge will help those in need find work in their farm villages, as they have been staying at home and suffering.
“Individuals can help vulnerable people and their children survive and pay school fees by earning money from the business,” she said.