Miss Elizabeth Paul, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving at Corner Stone Academy, Miango, in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, has trained and donated sewing machines to young girls displaced by recent attacks in the community.
The initiative, supported by the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON), aims to equip the girls with vocational skills and improve their livelihoods.
Speaking during the presentation of the items on Friday, Paul said the beneficiaries were trained in tailoring over a period of six months.
“I chose to embark on this project after listening to a few stories of how these girls became school dropouts due to the tragedies that claimed the lives of their parents.
“The death of their parents made them drop out of school because there was no one to sponsor them to continue their academic journey.
“To enable them to put food on their tables and engage in meaningful ventures, I decided to share my tailoring knowledge with them.” She explained.
She expressed gratitude to ICON for providing sewing machines and other items to the beneficiaries and thanked the Miango community for supporting her efforts.
In his remarks, Mr. Lawrence Zongo, a representative of ICON, emphasized the importance of empowering vulnerable individuals, particularly youths, to help rebuild their lives and communities.
“Empowering these girls is not just a moral obligation; it is a legal responsibility under various international agreements,” Zongo said.
“By investing in education, vocational training, and psychosocial support, we can transform lives and rebuild our communities.”
He further called on government agencies, faith-based organisations, and philanthropists to provide scholarships, skills acquisition programmes, and trauma support to those affected by displacement.
The Plateau State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mr. Yavala Iliya, also commended Paul for her dedication to community service.
Represented by Mr. Bissi Ishaku, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics of NYSC in the state, Iliya urged the beneficiaries to put the sewing machines to good use and called on the community to support the young tailors by patronising their businesses.
The initiative offers a new lease on life for the displaced girls, empowering them with the skills needed to become self-reliant.
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