Skills Vi-Ability Project
The skills Vi-Ability project is a manpower development initiative aimed at training people with disabilities into productive, self-sustaining individuals, who will lead independent lives and become productive members of society.
Through this program we provide the following:
- Skills Acquisition/Vocational Training
- Education Grants and Scholarships
- Business Set-up & Resettlement Grants
- Entrepreneurship
This is an area that we believe promotes self-worth and provides the opportunity for our people to make a living. We have been blessed to witness the transformation of people who beg on the street, to become useful members of the society.
Entrepreneurship programs are robust and focus on developing the path of self-employment which is often a viable employment alternative to seeking employment with skills acquired in training programs or talents possessed naturally by those we work with. This also serves to by-pass the entrenched socio-cultural perception of disability in Nigeria, which limits social inclusion, self-reliance and economic productivity of people with disabilities and their families.
Cooperative Formation: The foundation has chosen the cooperative model to promote joint economic enterprise amongst persons with similar skill and talent to help create a pool of resources and take advantage of synergies. Although these cooperatives are created primarily to utilize appropriate financial products and services; and enhance member’s access to finance and capital through programs offered by public organizations like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), they are also instrumental in helping develop good social practices for persons with disabilities.
We have helped create and are seeking to fund two cooperatives registered with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Oyo State, Nigeria:
- Catering and Confectionary CICS LTD – Many of the members have developed small scale catering and confectionary businesses, typically in their neighborhoods as a means of sustenance. This is created as food services organization, focused on creating opportunities in the catering and confectionary production, packaging and retail.
- Leather Works CICS LTD - Many of the members have developed small scale leather works (leather shoe and bags production, repairs, retail). These are typically in their neighborhoods with makeshift desks under a tree as a means of sustenance. This coop is created as leather works/craft organization, focused on creating opportunities in the leather production, packaging and retail.
