Catholic bishops train, empower 3,000 vulnerable households in Lagos, Ekiti

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has trained and empowered no fewer than 3,000 vulnerable households in various skills and vocations in four local government areas in Lagos and Ekiti states this year.

The bishops said that the training of the beneficiaries and empowering them with start-up kits, being undertaken by their development agency, Caritas Nigeria, in conjunction with Conrad N. Foundation, was a way of helping the people out of poverty to be able to stand on their own to take good care of themselves.

The bishops, who were represented by the Secretary General, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Revd Fr Michael Banjo, spoke at Igede Ekiti, in Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government area of Ekiti State during the graduation ceremony for the 207 beneficiaries of Vocational Skills Acquisition Programmes and Empowerment with start-up kits.

A similar graduation ceremony and empowerment of beneficiaries held earlier on Tuesday at Ilawe in the Ekiti Southwest Local Government area, where the beneficiaries, who were trained for three months in different vocations including hairdressing, tailoring, catering, make-up, auto mechanics, electricals, shoe and bag making, soap making, plumbing and aluminum, received start-up kits from Caritas.

Banjo said, “With this programme, Building Sustainable Livelihoods for Vibrant Communities, the Catholic bishops, through Caritas Nigeria, are acting as a bridge between those who have and those who do not have in these communities”.

The cleric, who said the assistance would go a long way in changing the situation of many communities positively, called on churches, mosques, organisations and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of needy individuals and households.

The CSN scribe said, “Let us partner, let us not leave everything for just the government. We must be one another’s keeper, so that is the essence of this programme”.

He charged the beneficiaries not to despise little beginnings, as he advised them to be disciplined, hardworking, honest, to be conscious about money management and continue to learn to be relevant in their different vocations and enterprises.

The Director of Humanitarian Services, Caritas Nigeria, Nkese Udongwo, while giving a breakdown of activities of Caritas so far in 2025 in Ekiti Southwest LGA and Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA of Ekiti State and Ikorodu LGA and Badagry LGA in Lagos State, said that over 3,000 vulnerable households had been trained in different vocations and skills and empowered with tools.

Udongwo said, “So far this 2025, on vocational skills, we have trained and empowered 415 participants. Out of that, 207 are from Ekiti State and 208 are from Lagos. On agricultural production, where we trained the beneficiaries in climate-smart agric practices, organic fertilisers and pesticides, we have trained 1,000 persons, and we gave them farm inputs for people to grow and farm. 500 of the beneficiaries are from Ekiti State and 500 from Lagos State.

On homestead gardening, we trained 1,000 people, and we empowered them with vegetable seeds to plant around their homes. 500 of the beneficiaries are from Ekiti State and 500 from Lagos State.

“We also trained 252 persons on animal husbandry, i.e livestock rearing, and we gave them livestock like goats, pigs, and poultry. 126 of the beneficiaries are from Ekiti State and 126 from Lagos State. To be able to render veterinary care to those animals that we gave in the communities, we trained 12 persons as para-vets and we empowered them with para-vet kits. Six of the beneficiaries are from Ekiti, and six persons benefit in Lagos.”

The Caritas director also said that the organisation trained 300 persons in the production of eco-friendly and energy-saving stoves and empowered them with materials for production, adding, “150 persons from Ekiti benefited and 150 from Lagos State as well.

She added that 200 persons were also trained on briquette-making and empowered with materials for production, noting that 100 persons benefited in Ekiti and 100 from Lagos.

We don’t just give people things; we train them so that it is sustainable. That is what we do,” she said.

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaye, who congratulated the beneficiaries for the tools they were being empowered with, warned them against selling the products, advising, “Use the tools you were given here today judiciously for the purpose you were given, essentially to better your lives and those of others”.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Caritas Nigeria, Rev. Fr Peter Babangida Aliyu, expressed hope that the gesture would open new chapters in the beneficiaries’ lives, saying, “This gesture is part of contributing to human development, supporting humanity to make people to be able to have something to do so that they can sustain their life and be able to help the society as well”.

Aliyu, who said that Caritas would monitor the progress of the beneficiaries to ensure they are on track, said, “We have been able to visit some of them. For example, last year, I was able to visit some of those we gave poultry to. I was able to visit one of the women. She is still running. I even bought some of the chicken from her. Then, she had been able to grow from the 10 chickens we gave her. Now she’s having about 50 birds”.

In attendance at the events in the two benefitting council areas are state government representatives, local government executives, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.