Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited has announced the completion of its women empowerment programme, tagged ‘Catalyst for change 2.0, with the graduation of 1,000 women in Alausa, Ikeja.
The company said the closing ceremony marked the conclusion of a four-week intensive skills acquisition training in October.
According to a statement, throughout the four-week programme, 1,000 women enrolled in vocational skills such as baking, textile design, and production of household cleaning items.
It said the women were also enrolled in business classes to ensure their financial literacy, adding that 200 out of the 1,000 women who had proved exceptional were each provided with start-up kits to help kick-start their businesses.
The Founder/Executive Director, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, Bukola Bamiduro, was quoted as saying, “This programme was created to drive change in the lives of women through relevant skill-based training and financial literacy sessions.
“We are hopeful that through this programme, beneficiaries will leverage the skills obtained to maintain a steady flow of income as women are economic pillars of the society.”
The Communications Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Ifeyinwa Ejindu, said, “At Coca-Cola, we believe women are integral to our world’s shared success, so we seek to empower them both in the workplace and the communities within which we operate.
“Women are not only essential to building thriving communities – we believe they represent one of the biggest accelerators of economic growth. And this was the driving force behind the Catalyst For Change programme at its inception – to not only empower the women financially but to also ensure they are contributing members of society whose efforts drive the country to economic recovery.”
– Punch