SMEDAN trains 22 tailors, gives 66 sewing machines as starter packs in Bauchi
Story from Beatrice EARLAND, Bauchi
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has conducted a two-day professional training for 22 tailors, just as it has donated 66 sewing machines as starter packs in Bauchi State.
The Director General, SMEDAN, Mr Olawale Fasanya, speaking during the closing ceremony of the training and distribution of the starter packs to the beneficiaries on Friday, stressed that the programme was put up by SMEDAN to improve the performances of tailors in the state.
Fasanya disclosed that the aim of the programme was for people to see well-packaged and designed clothes being sown by these tailors.
Fasanya, who explained that the training was not meant for beginners in the tailoring industry, said it was meant for established tailors, adding that the idea was to also help them get a more finished product that could be exported abroad.
Represented by Mr Salau Mikhail, Deputy Director, SMEDAN said Nigeria has a lot of talented tailors but many are faced with challenges of finished work, hence the training and empowerment by SMEDAN.
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He said that each of the beneficiaries would be given three different types of sewing machines so as to enable them to get more finished work that could make them compete globally.
“With some of these empowerments we are going to give them which are finishing machines, it will help them get to market both locally and internationally,” said Fasanya.
The DG also expressed optimism that the federal government would cover more participants in the empowerment programme in order to showcase their talents to the international world.
He called on the beneficiaries to take very good care of the machines given to them and urged them to use the starter packs effectively and for the purpose, they were meant for.
“They have been taught how to handle the machines as well as how to maintain them and they are expected to employ more people with the starter packs given to them,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Malam Abdullahi Meshago, the Organising Secretary, Bauchi State Tailors Association, said that they have gained additional knowledge during the two-day training exercise.
“We were trained on how to improve our services and how to get more profit in our business.
“We really appreciate the federal government through SMEDAN because this is a life-changing empowerment for all of us who were lucky to have been selected,” he said.
Meshago also assured that every participant in the training was ready to show SMEDAN, their customers or even the whole world, their improved services and good finishing of their works which could be packaged for export.
He also promised that the monitoring committee of the association would ensure that none of the beneficiaries put any of the machines on the market for sale.
