Archbishop Martins downplays palliatives, says empowering people through SMES better option
In teach-them-to-catch-not-give-
Represented by the Dean of Ikorodu Deanery and Priest, Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Owode, Rev.Fr. Bassey Okoro, the Archbishop made the recommendation at the graduation and start-up kits presentation to 1,800 Caritas Nigeria empowerment intervention trainees, held in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Participants in the programme tagged “Building Sustainable Livelihood in Vibrant Community (B-SLiC) Project” and aimed at lifting people out of poverty, were trained in various skills, including tailoring, soap making, electrical works, phone repairing and others, for a three-month duration.
Supported by the Conrad Hilton Foundation, the programme during which participants were trained in their vocation of interest by their assigned master trainers within their locality, a strategy aimed at sustaining the trade, featured exhibition of trade artistry by the participants as well as cultural dance in appreciation of the gesture.
Speaking at the event which was attended by traditional leaders, government officials and among others, Martins said the best means of eradicating poverty in the land is to teach people ways to create wealth, instead of doling out palliatives.
According to him, the Church, through the Caritas project, has shown the way of cultivation and reaping that entails purposeful leadership, rather than cosmetic that does not have a positive bearing on the people and society.
“The problem with our society today is that people do not want to work but want to reap.
“The tradition of dignity in labour should be encouraged to teach the younger generation that one has to cultivate and hold on patiently for the crop to mature, then harvest to live.
“This culture, if internalised by our young people, the get-rich quick syndrome that leads people to throw family values to the wind, and in most cases, entrapped in trouble, would be halted,” he said.
The Archbishop advised the beneficiaries to make the best use of the opportunity provided by the training and empowerment to help themselves, and change their families’ social status and the society.
In his remarks at the event, Mr Akinyele Bankole, the Caritas Nigeria Programme Manager, South-West, said the project was tailored in accordance with society needs and participants aspirations.
Bankole explained the rigorous training procedure that the participants went through before being qualified for the start-up kits.
He said the organisation hoped to get positive feedback from the beneficiaries within months of being commissioned.
“Caritas will be glad to see the beneficiaries do well in their vocations by employing and training more people in the community in the businesses,” he said.
Ms Abimbola Ogunsanya, a beneficiary and caterer trained in cake and confectionery making, said her passion to bake cake and others had come to fulfilment.
Ogunsanya, who said she had started baking cake for commercial purposes and for ceremonies, thanked the organisers of the project for making her dream come true.(NAN)
