Foundation empowers 79 with hydrographic printing skill

Rose of Sharon Foundation, the brainchild of Folorunso Alakija, has trained 79 widows and some children in hydrographic-water transfer printing aimed at empowering and uplifting widows in the country.

The two-day training facilitated by Gold, Chrome and Hydrographic Limited 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.

Ndudi Bowei, country manager of the Rose of Sharon Foundation, said the training was created to give the widows a chance to learn lucrative business skills that will develop a source of income for them and their families.

According to her, women are the most economically disadvantaged members of the community, adding that education, reproductive health issues, and gender-based violence are a few of the societal ills that women, particularly widows, face daily.

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“With practical business training and its resultant financial and economic benefits, we can better the lives of several widows in our country and uplift their families from poverty,” Bowei said.

Bowei said the printing technique can be used on various materials, including plastic, glass, metal, fibre, wood, and others.

She said there is also the added benefit of recycling as solid waste can be collected, treated, refurbished, redesigned, and reused as valuable goods.

“Items like flowerpots, furniture, phone cases, laptop cases, electrical wall switches, bikes, and car parts can be redesigned, printed, and sold,” she said.

B. Sonnie, the lead facilitator of the training, said the team was willing to offer even more support after the training period to all the Rose of Sharon Enterprise Development Programme participants, in terms of continuous training, mentorship and business support.