Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation in partnership with Coco-cola Foundation has launched the second edition of its women and youth empowerment programme themed ‘Catalyst for Change 2.0’

The initiative aims at empowering 5000 women and youths in five communities across Surulere, Alausa/Agidingbi, Ijora, Agege and Onigbongbo in Lagos State for a 10 month period, in a training programme, which began from October 4, 2021.

Reiterating the role of the Foundation in ensuring the empowerment of underserved women and youth in Nigeria, Bukola Bamiduro, Founder/Program Director, Karis & Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, stated the Catalyst for Change 2.0 programme will use education through skills acquisition as an agent of change in the lives of women in Nigeria. Education is recognised as the most effective tool to tackle large-scale poverty entrenched in various parts of the world and this project seeks to leverage education to help eliminate poverty and inequality, reduce unemployment, raise incomes, and improve standards of living.

She added that the programme will adopt two training models, which includes hands-on training classes (such as baking, bagmaking, shoemaking, hairstyling, makeup artistry, tie & dye design and production of household cleaning items), and business classes, which will provide training around the foundations of running a successful business; personal and product branding; accounting; bookkeeping and finance management; recruiting customers; leveraging social media; accessing loans and grants; gender-based violence and recycling.

According to her, the organisation is proud of what those trained last year has achieved so far, hence the need to spread to other areas of the state.

She said: “We are proud to continue this impactful programme and make a meaningful contribution to the lives of more women and girls in the country. We extend our gratitude to The Coca-Cola Foundation who has remained steadfast in its commitment to this project”.

She stated further that the program is aimed at reducing the harsh economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and also seeks to reduce the migration of rural women to urban areas by empowering them with business and life skills that will elevate them from extreme poverty and encourage their migration back to their local communities.

Also speaking at the event, Ekuma Eze, Director, Public Affairs and Communications, Nigerian Bottling Company, who was represented by Jerome Oyebanji, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company, expressed how delighted Cocacola is having a fruitful partnership with Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation in alleviating poverty amongst youths and women.

“We are delighted to continue what has been a fruitful partnership with Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation. Poverty alleviation and women and youth empowerment remain key priorities for the Coca-Cola System in Nigeria. The Catalyst for Change programme was developed to ensure that these key areas are addressed in the communities we call home and we are truly proud of the results achieved so far”.

“Our ultimate goal is to lift women out of poverty and into lives of self-sufficiency by focusing on those community programs offering education, skills training, financial literacy and mentoring, such as the Catalyst for Change 2.0 programme”. He said.

Recall that during the inaugural programme in 2020 themed, “Catalyst for Change 1.0”, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, successfully trained 5,000 women and girls across five communities in Sangotedo, Oworonshoki, Ogijo, Iwaya and Magboro communities, with transformative vocational skills. 1,000 beneficiaries were presented with business start-up kits to kick-start their businesses and earn a living.

Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a focus on empowering women and girls, especially those living in rural communities with no access to opportunities.

The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world.