Wally Walters Foundation Trustees and members kicked off the monthly empowerment program to provide needed social amenities for disadvantaged youths, women earning less than 20, 000 naira ($50) monthly and marginalized widows.
The first beneficiaries of the scheme were three young people, two males and a female under the age of 25 who got a sewing machine each to kick start their sewing career.
One of the beneficiaries, Andrew, 20 is a graduate of the Lagos State Correctional Centre, Oregun, Ikeja where he acquired the skills of tailoring. About 12 years ago, he was picked off the street of Lagos where he was groomed and raised by social workers. Andrew graduated about a month ago; the Guardian Angel Program (GAP) is providing him an opportunity to start off at life as well as becoming employed.
For 22 year old, Funmilayo who has completed her three years apprenticeship program but has not been able to graduate because she has been unable to purchase a sewing machine to start off due to lack of resources. Once again, the Guardian Angel Program is an immense blessing for Funmilayo to become an entrepreneur and a productive citizen of Nigeria.
Mayowa, 23, heard about the Guardian Angel Program (GAP) and he decided to apply. As a fashion enthusiast who usually takes his work to a skilled tailor to help him birth his design, owning a sewing machine provides him with the leverage to generate more income off his passion and get a university education.
Speaking during the ceremony, Mr. Joshua Alade, the Community Evangelist NextGen Africa initiative encouraged the beneficiaries to make good use of the machines and ensure they establish a relationship with an apprentice that they can learn from them. He assured the beneficiaries of the support of the Guardian Angel Program (GAP) initiative team to exhibit their finished works on the initiative's website for global sales promotion and access to mentoring and skills building opportunities.
The vice president of the Wally Walters Foundation, Mr. Tosin Olorokun who represented Mr. Adewale Ishola, the grand patron and founder of the Wally Walters Foundation encouraged the beneficiaries to be good stewards of the machines that they have received. He spoke about the importance of integrity and dedication to work as the hallmark of greatness and he asked the beneficiaries to make that a part of their work.
The Guardian Angel Program initiative is a monthly event to reach out to the less privilege and an opportunity for everyone to contribute to the socioeconomic development of hard to reach youth, poor women and marginalized widows. Mr. Adewale Ishola, a social entrepreneur and philanthropist believes in leading by example. He believes that charity believes at home and he urges Nigerians at home and in Diaspora to join the movement by empowering the Nigerian population that can add value to our economy, especially the youth. Mr. Ishola stated, "in order for Nigeria to see the change that we long for, we as Nigerians and Africans must rise up, come together and begin to impact our societies positively to gradually eradicate poverty and rebuild our economy."
You can find more about the GAP initiative by visiting the website http://www.adewaleishola.com/guardian-angel-program/ or clicking https://www.facebook.com/gapinitiative/
