Lagos, Nigeria; August 5, 2022.

In keeping with its core objective of empowering and uplifting widows in the country, the Rose of Sharon foundation, the brainchild of Apostle Folorunso Alakija, recently trained a total of 79 widows, including some of their children, in hydrographic-water transfer printing in Lagos.

The two-day training facilitated by Gold, Chrome and Hydrographic Ltd in conjunction with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), taught the widows valuable hydrographic-water transfer printing techniques that can be used to transform discarded waste items and ordinary household objects into vibrant, resale-ready items.

Dr Ndudi Bowei, country manager of the Rose of Sharon Foundation, commented:

“This printing technique can be used on various materials, including plastic, glass, metal, fibre, wood, and others. In essence, the level of application is almost limitless. There is also the added benefit of recycling. Solid waste can be collected, treated, refurbished, redesigned, and reused as valuable goods or sold because this is a type of waste to wealth training.”

She elaborated on the training’s benefits by stating that water transfer printing, also known as hydro-dipping, is becoming increasingly popular in other parts of the world, and once properly harnessed, it has the potential to become a lucrative business opportunity for widows in the country.

“Items like flowerpots, furniture, phone cases, laptop cases, electrical wall switches, bikes, and even car parts are just a few of such items that can be redesigned, printed, and sold,” she said.

Speaking on the Enterprise Development Training Program (EDTP), Dr Bowei disclosed that it was created to give widows a chance to learn lucrative business skills that will develop a source of income for them and their families.

“Unfortunately, women continue to be the most economically disadvantaged members of our communities. Education, reproductive health issues, and gender-based violence are just a few of the societal ills that women, particularly widows, face daily. That is why we created the EDTP.

“We believe that with practical business training and its resultant financial and economic benefits, we can better the lives of several widows in our country and uplift them and their families from poverty,” she added.

During the training, the widows partook in several practical sessions demonstrating the unique ability of hydrographic-water transfer printing to customize and decorate any object of choice. Dr. B. Sonnie, the lead facilitator of the training, disclosed that they were willing to offer even more support after the training period to all the Rose of Sharon Enterprise Development Program participants, in terms of continuous training, mentorship and business support.

“After the 2-day training, participants interested in learning more can come to NAFRC for further training. We are also willing to provide technical support to enhance their business once they start. For example, we have a workshop in Oshodi that is equipped with hydro dipping and rinse tanks, drying ovens, spraying booths and other essential tools which will be made available for use by the trainees.” he said.

The widows were also trained in digital skills and online marketing on the second day of the training to enhance their knowledge and use of technology to improve their business, and enable them gain increased access to markets, more patronage and income. At the end of the training, the widows were shared into clusters according to their residential locations to encourage learning and sharing for collective support and business success.

• Ends –

Notes to Editors:

About Rose of Sharon Foundation.

The Rose of Sharon Foundation (ROSF) is a registered non-profit, faith-based, non-Governmental organization focused on alleviating the plight of widows, their children, and orphans, through programs that guarantee financial independence and educational opportunities, and assure greater self-esteem and ease of socioeconomic integration.

Since its inception, the RoSF has directly impacted the lives of over 4,262 widows through vocational training, interest-free loans, residential/business accommodation, access to medical care, and educational scholarships to over 1,971 widows’ children and 322 orphans. This makes it one of the few NGOs in the country to provide widows with this level of assistance.

Enterprise Development Training Project (EDTP)

The Enterprise Development Training Project (EDTP) was established to boost self-initiative and encourage widows to start small and medium-sized businesses as a viable source of income.

Working with partners, the EDTP provides several training opportunities for widows, including follow-ups required to help them succeed in their chosen field of trade. The EDTP also provides start-up equipment, through donations, including machinery and equipment. Some of these are sewing machines, whipping machines, grinding machines, pasta-making machines, flour mixing machines, cream mixers, local ovens, make-up kits and more to encourage business start-up immediately after training.

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