IOM trains 19 women, 43 others on carpentry in Edo

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Saturday graduated 62 youths, including 19 women on wood vocation under its community based reintegration programme in Edo.

Our correspondent reports that the training was carried out under IOM’s Nigeria: Promoting Resilience and Sustainable Livelihood for Returned Migrants and Unemployed youths through Community Based Reintegration programme.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony, organised by IOM in Benin, the Deputy Director General, IOM, Mrs Ugochi Daniels, said out of the 62 graduands, 19 were females who graduated as carpenters.

Daniels said the project set up a multipurpose vocational skills training facility in collaboration with Nat Limited and Edojobs, to assist returned migrants within their community to have access to socio economic opportunities.

”The importance of vocational training cannot be overstated, especially in Nigeria where unemployment among the young people is high

“Vocational training provides practical skills and knowledge that are directly relevant to the workplace, making graduate of such programme highly employable and ultimately addressing the key drivers of irregular migration.

“Edo state has a history of woodwork artistry and this training leveraged on that to promote a blend of learning the wood trade and exposing them to opportunities that are bound within the space.

“I am particularly pleased to learn that of the 62 graduate today, 19 are females. In a fast changing world, it is important to ensure that we support women to attain economic independence,” she said.

Daniels thanked the Swiss and Netherlands governments for their generous financial support towards the programme.

According to her, special thanks to the Edo Government for collaborating with IOM to successfully implement the project through Edojobs and the Benin Technical College.

She reiterated IOM’s commitment to continue to support the government of Nigeria and particularly the Edo Government to provide adequate support to migration issues in the state.

Miss Osayomo Usuanlele, on behalf of the graduands, thanked IOM for the opportunity and promised to make good use of the knowledge learnt.

Highpoints of the event was the presentation of certificates and starter packs containing carpentry tools, including generating sets to all 62 carpenters.