By J. K. Nabary
Awutu Bawjiase (C/R), Jan 6, GNA – The I-SMILE Fashion and Design Centre at Awutu Bawjiase has held its 7th graduation ceremony for the 2023 graduating class of 12 apprentices, who successfully went through a three-year training in fashion, dressmaking and designing.
The I-SMILE Centre is a community help programme, established in 2013 with six people and currently has over 80 learners aged between 19-38 years, some of whom are natives of Awutu-Senya Constituency, Asamankese in the Eastern Region and other communities in the Central Region.
The Centre since its establishment has graduated 124 learners, made up of 112 females and 12 males, including the 2023 graduates.
The graduates received certificates, testimonials and electric sewing machines with accessories donated by Madam Hannah Serwah Tetteh, former Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister.
Madam Tetteh, who is the founder of the Centre, and also currently, the United Nations (UN) Special Representative to Africa and Head of the UN Office, was joined by Mrs Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, her sister, who is also the current Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya West Constituency to do the presentation.
Madam Serwah Tetteh, commended the craftmasters at the Centre for empowering youth to be self-reliant, to earn a living rather than migrating to the urban centres for non-existing greener pastures.
She urged the youth in and around Awutu to take advantage of the opportunity to enroll at the Centre to acquire vocational skills in fashion, dressmaking as well as designing free of charge to set up their businesses to better their lives and that of others.
She pledged her continuous support to the centre, especially the completion of the ongoing expanded new Centre and Hostel projects and also to install additional machines in it, for more people outside Bawjiase to enroll and benefit from the programme.
This, she noted, would go a long way to attract more investors, tourists and people with innovative entrepreneurial skills to Awutu-Senya West to aid development.
Madam Serwah Tetteh urged the graduates to train people, who will avail themselves, free of charge to continue the chain of support and training.
Mrs Tetteh-Agbotui, who was the special guest of honour, advised the graduates to make good use of the training they had acquired to better themselves and others.
They should adopt good customer services and do quality work to attract more people to patronise their services to help sustain their businesses.
Mrs Tetteh-Agbotui who is also the founder of Esumapa (meaning Good Works), programme in the Awutu-Senya West, which trains the youth in hairdressing, among others, said it was to help then to unearth their talents in the vocation of their choice under supervision.
She announced that the doors of Esumapa was opened for the youth to register through assembly members in their electoral areas.
Ismaila Abdullai Andoh, Director of I-Smile Community Help Project, on behalf of the craftmasters of the Centre expressed appreciation and gratitude to Madam Serwah Tetteh for continuously sponsoring the programme.
He said they would continue to empower persons who enrolled at the centre with their rich expertise to better their lots.
He appealed to corporate bodies, Philanthropists and stakeholders in Awutu-Senya West to assist the centre for progress and sustainability for future generations.
GNA