Montserrado County – The education advancement and development of Montserrado County Electoral District 10 continues to remain a major priority to the Watkins Initiative For Nations (WIN) and its Vision Bearer, Mr. Y. Solomon W. Watkins as all is now set for Sunday, October 10, 2021, for the first graduation of adolescent young girls and women.
The women and girls recently acquired different kind of skills through an accelerated skills program organized by WIN. The graduation and certification program will be held at the Old Road Wesleyan Church in District 10, Montserrado County.
Montserrado County District 10 has been one of the most controversial places in the county where most of its residents believed to have been abandoned by their lawmaker in the context of development.
Amidst the view of the residents, Mr. Watkins, a Liberian journalist and champion for good governance, has kept on doing more than enough for the people of District 10 through WIN, including contributing to the fight against Ebola, Covid-19, road rehabilitation, construction of water facilities for communities, carrying out sanitation activities, identifying with fire and storm victims, identifying with people with disabilities, old folks (senior citizens) and deserving youths.
Alongside the ongoing skills training program, WIN has brought together the 32 communities of the District into a meet the academic challenge – inter community quizzing competition – that is expected to end this year, November. Several interventions including support to sports and entertainment, community ownership and mentorship program, menstrual hygiene program for young girls and women, scholarship and financial aid support to students across the district have been provided.
Founded in 2014, WIN is a pro-democracy organization that focuses on creating programs and preparing Africa’s youths to become leaders and change agents in their communities. Its primary goal is to produce leaders that can advance advocacy for the life betterment of Liberians and those elsewhere.
As part of its roles, WIN has helped and continued to help fight against illiteracy, poverty and diseases which are birthed from bad governance.
Toping WIN’s agenda are programs that tend to bring relief to the people of Montserrado District 10, especially women in the Township of Congo Town including the Old Road and parts of Sinkor.
For this WIN launched officially in July 2021 a mobile accelerated skills acquisition program as an empowerment intervention targeting over 5,000 residents of the District, predominately, adolescent young girls and women. The program is absolutely free of charge.
Mr. Watkins, the vision bearer said the program is intended to practically and economically empower residents of District 10 and surrounding communities.
The organization, according to him, has identified about 27 different skills, which residents of the district are lacking and will have to acquire from time to time.
Currently, those graduating from the qualitative skills acquisition program are specialized in bath soap making, Liquid Soap, Floor cleaner, chlorax, tie soap production and other detergents as well as tie and dye.
The Program Organizer, Mrs. Krubo D.K. Solomon disclosed that bath soap, liquid soap, floor cleaner, chlorax and tie soap production, as well as tie and dye are treated as one package of skills offered currently. “This is a revolution for women economic empowerment and an idea to give the economy back to Liberians in support of our communities development, our district, county and Liberia. Mr. Watkins has promised to continue this program until the least is empowered and we are committed to his dream and aspiration for this district and people of Liberia, particularly adolescent young girls and women.”
Meanwhile, WIN has commenced a recruitment of the next batch of young girls and women as well as young boys and men who are interested in acquiring similar skills.
Mr. Watkins is also providing full scholarship for different kinds of advanced level qualitative skills training at selected technical training schools within the District. The following skills are fully sponsored by Mr. Watkins: Interior decoration, hair braiding, pastry, pizza preparation, general baking and catering services, carpentry, tailoring, weaving, African beans design, cosmetology, driving, and criminal justices.
Primarily, full scholarship is offered to only female acquiring skills in plumping and electricity; while male are provided 50% tuition free opportunity.