The Dewdrop Institute (DDI) has graduated its latest cohort of students who have successfully completed an intensive training programme in Professional Care Service (PCS). This significant achievement is marked by the awarding of international certification from City & Guilds UK and Skills Development Council Canada, enabling graduates to meet global standards in care provision.
The graduation ceremony, held at the institute’s state-of-the-art facility, was attended by esteemed dignitaries, industry professionals, and the families of graduates. The event highlighted the institute’s commitment to excellence in education and the delivery of high-quality care services.
The Executive Director of Dewdrop Institute, Mrs. Agatha Nnaji shared that the institute was established out of necessity, inspired by the gaps they identified while caring for the elderly through the Dewdrop Foundation.
“As we cared for elderly individuals, we realised the lack of professional caregivers—not merely nurses, but genuine caregivers. This led us to conclude that the most effective way to address this issue was to establish a certified programme that caregivers could pursue to enter this vital sector.
“We did a lot of research and found the City & Guilds International of UK that certifies health and caregivers and they’re based in the United Kingdom and we had to go through a 2-year process of accreditation. We also went through the accreditation of the Nigerian Board of Technical Education and eventually, Skills Development Council of Canada. Those are the three organizations that certify our professional care training programme.
Mrs. Nnaji further emphasised the institute’s mission to foster a sense of professionalism and pride among caregivers. “we want to ensure that people who are already caregivers and those that want to join, see that space as a profession they can be proud of and with a certification that’s globally recognized, it’s easier for them to come into the carrier part that we are developing for them.
“So you find people at different levels providing care but because they don’t have a certification, they end up just remaining either as house helps and houseboys or basic nurses. But with this professional training and the certification, they can go places, work on their own, they can become entrepreneurs and they can provide that services at home, in hospitals or anywhere across the country or even abroad.”
Mrs. Nnaji added that anyone seeking to enroll can do so by visiting their website; www.dewdropinstitute.com and following the application process or stop by any of their centers in Abuja, Lagos and Enugu, noting that they’ve also created a very flexible payment plan that will enable people pay as they can and complete the courses.
She also stated that they’ve “identified partners- serious and professional organizations in the medical space where our learners can go and do their internship. it is a very intense programme and we’ve inculcated our culture in Nigeria, how to take care of elderly people with respect and regard and give them a sense of belonging and love which will help all of us as we get older.
Earlier in her address, the Center Administrator, Dewdrop Organization Enugu, Mrs. Chinyere Moore-Ashimole said that over the past months, students have undergone rigorous training encompassing various aspects of professional care giving
Mrs. Moore-Ashimole told the graduating students that the ceremony “marks not just the end of your professional diploma training journey in PCS but the beginning of endless possibilities despite the challenges you may have faced while in pursuit of this PCS certificate. You have learned valuable lessons: theoretically and practically, the friendships you may have forged alongside may last a lifetime.
“You have learned to be compassionate, show empathy to personal need, patient, well-positioned, and ensuring proximity to those you would be entrusted to care for.
“You have created a tapestry of experiences that will enrich our society; with either or both of our City & Guilds UK and Skills Development Council Canada certification in your possession
“As you step into the next phase of your life with the wealth of knowledge you have acquired from Dewdrop PCS program, remember to stand in the dignity and integrity imbibed into you. Embrace your passion, take intelligent risks and never stop learning.
