Several vulnerable women, sheltering at various IDPs centers in Montserrado and Bong counties were last Thursday, proud recipients of certificates after successfully completing a six- month intensive training in various disciplines.
The training program, aimed at empowering the vulnerable women and making them productive citizens in the Liberian society, was organized and sponsored by the Concerned Christian Community (CCC), a leading local NGO in the country.

Of the 54 women that graduated on Thursday, 35 came from the Maimu IDPs Camp in Bong County, while 19 others came from the Seigbeh IDPs Camp in Montserrado County.

As to the sort of disciplines in which the women graduated, information obtained from CCC’s headquarters in Monrovia shows that 42 received certificates in tie and dye; 16 in tailoring; 8 in pastry and cooking, while 8 graduated in soap production.

The presentation of the certificates to the graduates was performed by three distinguished personalities including Mr. Josephus Moses Gray, president of the University of Liberia Press Club; Madam Eva Flomo, CCC’s Gender and Peace Advocate, and Rev. Sam Flomo, an official of CCC.

The elaborate and well-organized ceremony brought together hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as family members, friends, well-wishers, and representatives of other NGOs.
Government.

In a special statement of appreciation to CCC, a member of the graduating class, Madam Deddeh Takay on behalf of her colleagues applauded Mrs. Mariama Z. B. Brown, National Executive Director of CCC, the Board of Directors and the entire staff of CCC for empowering them and at the same time making them to be productive citizens in the society.

Madam Takay used the occasion to appeal to CCC to organize and sponsor similar programs for other IDPs women to make them productive and useful in the society, and recounted the kind gestures of CCC in providing them medicines, food, wearing etc. over the years as IDPs.

Earlier, in his address to the graduates, Rev. James Coleman, Executive Director of World Hope International -Liberia, who served as guest speaker, called on the graduates to use their hands to rebuild out war-torn country.

Speaking on the theme: "Make Use Of Your Hands", Rev. Coleman said in building a society, skills-training programs are very useful for a society like Liberia.

He said to rebuild the nation and establish peace in the country, Liberians need to find the necessary and appropriate tools but said CCC has uncovered one of these tools which is skills training program.

He then admonished the graduates to work very hard and use their hands, saying that hard work brings about development and urged the graduates to share the skills that they gained with others.