Members of the Makoi Women’s Vocational Training Centre were delighted with their double celebration yesterday.

The Training Centre got to celebrate both its first anniversary as well as 31 women graduating.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Rosy Akbar said: “You are privileged to be provided this opportunity of empowerment and personal development by the facilitators through the programme offered at this centre.

“To the management of the centre, I must thank you for the great investment you have made towards the lives of these women.

“Indeed, it is a life changing initiative and the ministry is grateful to you for continuously upholding the principles and purpose of the centre,” she said.

Ms Akbar said she would like to see more women graduating from such capacity building programmes in the near future.

“This will buildup the next generations of culinary and sewing experts who will share the same knowledge to those living around us.

“Cooking and sewing, when put to good use, can be a potential income generating and job creation to you and your family,” she said.

“So you women will be able to earn your family’s livelihood by utilising your sewing machines and culinary skills combined with other theoretical knowledge that you have been taught,” she said.

Fiji Muslim League national president Hafizud Dean Khan said: “We do not charge any money from any women who want to do course at the centre.”

He said the majority of women studying at the centre were in need of assistance.

“When we started the centre, we struggled to get 12 students, but we now have 300 students,” he said.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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