Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City empowers residents of Port Harcourt Safe Home with skills acquisition

Written by Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie

Good spirited Nigerians have been called upon to partner with the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation in providing welfare services to vulnerable indigents groups in the State.

Director Administration, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Owiriwa Darlington Kinikanwo made the call at the one day skills acquisition programme organised by the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City for residents at the Port Harcourt Safe Home, The Remand Home and The Port Harcourt Children’s Home.

They were taught life skills and how to make liquid soap, air freshener and bleach.

President Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City Rotarian Karina Igonikon noted that the project is in line with Economic Development and Empowerment, one of Rotary’s area of focus and is aimed at showing love to residents of the Homes and to empower them with productive skills that can help them have a good livelihood after they leave the Homes so they are self reliant.

“This month the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City looked at those under the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation and thought to ourselves how can we empower them.

So we decided to teach them this life skill that will enable them make money from sales of the products: liquid soap, bleach and air freshener. That way they are empowered and have a skill and even after they leave the home, they have this skill to fall back on to earn a living.

This is the aim of us carrying out this project – to give them a source of livelihood, to train them and let them know they are loved. That’s what Rotary is all about, serving humanity and creating hope in the world.”

Director Administration, Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Owiriwa Darlington Kinikanwo lauded the programme as one that is in line with the purpose of the ministry, which was established with the aim of addressing welfare issues among indigents of the State and teaching them vocational skills through which they can become self-reliant even after they leave the home.

“On behalf of the Minsity I must sincerely thank the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City because it is a worthwhile project they have brought to the ministry. We are always willing to partner especially when it is a good project that we know will be beneficial to the ministry. So it’s a very good thing.”

He called on like minded organisations to take a leaf from the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City as there are many areas of intervention, especially in their rehabilitation programmes.

“Social welfare and rehabilitation as a ministry basically provides welfare services in terms of vocational skills like this so we often call for partnership as government alone cannot do everything especially with regards to social welfare provision.

So organisations as part of their community social responsibility CSR activities or non-governmental organisations can partner with the Ministry to make sure that the indigent ones that are kept in their custody can benefit from these programmes. Thus, we would say learn from Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City because they have set the pace and let others follow.”