By Comfort Ikpeme | Project Leader
Shoemaking is an enterprise that is common among the male folks in Nigeria. In view of this, Girls’ Power Initiative integrated shoemaking as one component of her entrepreneurship training programme to encourage out-of-school girls to acquire shoemaking skills. Over the past three years, over 150 girls have acquired shoemaking skills through the programme.
The men from the shoe making field these girls often interacted with before and during internship were surprised to discover that they made shoes. Some of the girls have reported that shoe-making can be a very dirty business! Even when they wear protective wears they sometimes get their clothes dirty and it’s impossible to do the work with fake fingernails which is the style of many young Nigerian women.
Nevertheless, shoemaking is one of the lucrative enterprises for graduates of the programme especially those who have set up their own business with support from GPI. Joy, one of the shoemakers, has her story to share:
“I enjoy making shoes as it has become part of my life. I acquired shoemaking skills after eight months training. I can make slippers, sandals and covered shoes for girls and women. I have set-up a shoemaking business with the grant GPI provide. I now have more customers and increased sales compared to when I started four months ago. Every month I earn up to 30,000NGN on the average which helps me to fend for myself and family members. I thank GPI for this support.”
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