The wife of Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, on Friday launched a vocational training programme for 100 young women in Awka, aimed at equipping them with practical skills in high-demand technical fields.
The initiative, tagged Anambra Skilled Ladies Training Programme, was inaugurated under the Healthy Living Initiative, a non-governmental organisation run by the governor’s wife to promote empowerment and healthy lifestyles.
Mrs. Soludo said the programme was designed to provide women with entrepreneurial opportunities that would enable them to become self-reliant and economically productive.
She explained that the beneficiaries would receive training in skills such as solar and CCTV installation, air-conditioner repair and maintenance, carpentry, tricycle (keke) mechanics and painting—areas traditionally dominated by men.
According to her, the intervention is part of efforts to celebrate and uplift women, especially during the month globally dedicated to recognising the resilience and contributions of women.
“The Anambra Skilled Ladies Programme is a well-designed entrepreneurial package that offers young women the opportunity to learn and prosper through high-demand and lucrative skills,” she said.
Mrs. Soludo told the participants that their selection followed a rigorous screening process and urged them to remain committed throughout the training period.
“Our aim is to train, mentor and support a new generation of skilled workers who will close existing gender gaps and bring unique talents into fields where women are underrepresented,” she added.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Healthy Living Initiative, Mr. Afam Obidike, disclosed that the organisers received about 10,800 applications but selected only 100 participants for the programme.
Obidike said the governor’s wife was sponsoring the training through her NGO to help women become self-reliant and eventually employers of labour.
He explained that the training would run for two months with daily practical sessions, urging the participants to take the opportunity seriously.
Some of the trainers engaged for the programme include Mrs. Amara Abraham, a painter; Mrs. Lucy Onoo, a furniture maker; and Mrs. Anthonia Okafor, a solar installation technician.
Speaking on behalf of the trainers, Onoo said modern society now places greater value on practical skills than academic certificates alone.
“It is no longer just about certificates but about ‘Sabificate’—what you can actually do with your hands and talent,” she said.
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One of the beneficiaries, Miss Chidera Ezeadilue from Awka South, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, noting that she could not afford the N250,000 required to learn the skill elsewhere.
“I promise not to disappoint because it is a huge opportunity for me to make a difference,” she said.
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