In a determined push to transform the youths of Abia Central Senatorial District from job seekers into entrepreneurs, Senator Austin Akobundu has sponsored the free training of over 100 young people in fashion design and equipped them with sewing machines to kick-start their businesses.
The training, which took place at the main auditorium of Kolpin Society Event Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, is one of the senator’s strategic empowerment initiatives designed to mark his first anniversary in office. According to Akobundu, the programme aims to provide practical skills that can create self-employment opportunities and help reduce unemployment across Abia Central.
Recognising the challenges new trainees often face in accessing start-up tools, Senator Akobundu presented each participant with a sewing machine and a certificate of participation at the close of the programme.
“Aware that the beneficiaries could slide back into indolence and redundancy that could lead them to taking to vices for survival if they did not have the necessary tools to put their knowledge into practice and commence business as soon as practicable, Senator Austin Akobundu gave out free sewing machines to each of the over 100 participants,” the organisers noted.
This latest gesture adds to a series of youth-focused initiatives by the senator. Earlier, Senator Akobundu sponsored a free digital skills acquisition programme that trained more than 350 young people in sought-after ICT fields, including UI/UX design, web design, professional graphics design, cyber security, digital marketing, forex trading, software development, and data science.
The senator, who represents Ikwuano, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Osisioma, Umuahia North, and Umuahia South local government areas, has promised that more empowerment programmes will commence soon.
