The Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC) Congregation at Kwaekese in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom in the Kwahu Afram Plains, North District of Ghana’s Eastern Region, has organised the very first graduation of her trainees at Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre, Kwaekese, under the theme: “Empowered to make a difference in society”
The November 16, 2024 graduation ceremony featured a number of activities including the viewing of items produced by the trainees in the course of the two-year programme, modelling by the trainees in their individually sewn clothes, the symbolic handing of a measuring tape and a pair of scissors to each of the graduands, as a way of wishing them well in their sewing career.
There was also the award of certificates and prizes to deserving trainees.
Others were fundraising to support the Centre, Speeches, among others.
In a welcome address, Sr. Francisca Kumevor (SMMC), the Sister trainer for the Mater Ecclasaie Skills Training Centre, disclosed the purpose of the gathering stating that “Today marks a significant milestone in the lives of our graduates and in the life of the Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre.”
“To our distinguished graduates, we have come together this morning to celebrate with you your achievements. You have worked tirelessly with dedication and perseverance to reach this momentous occasion. Today you are graduating from the Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre,” she said
According to Sr. Kumevor, the graduands have been equipped with knowledge and skills in dress-making, tailoring, and other crafts including the making of jewellery, tissue boxes, liquid soap, shampoo, parazone, detergents, beaded slippers among others.
She further mentioned that the trainees have sat for the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Proficiency Exams, pending results.
She buttressed that the purpose of the training and the exposure to the exams was to empower the young women with skills which will make them economically viable, self-reliant, and financially independent enough to take care of themselves and their families.
In view of the afore-mentioned objective, she said “the Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre, in collaboration with the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, Ghana (CMSR-Gh) is donating to the graduands, the sewing machines they have been using, for them to go out and start their own businesses.
The Sister trainer congratulated the graduands and urged them to make use of all that they have acquired from their training.
“Go and make good use of the machines, together with the skills and knowledge you have acquired. Use them with passion, integrity and creativity. Go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of courage, financial empowerment, beauty, power, dignity and love,” she said.
“Remember you are the author, the architect of your destiny, the changer of the change you wish for yourself,” she added.
Sr. Kumevor used the occasion of the graduation to announce to the general public that their doors are open for new enrolments for young women who may be interested in the skills training offered by the Centre.
She expressed profound gratitude to the SMMC Superior General and her Council, the dedicated trainers, notably, Mr. Henry Bayor, their supporting communities and individuals, the Ave Maria Community, as well as family members and friends of the graduands.
Drawing the attention of the guests to the fact that the Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre is a charity-based apostolate, where the services provided by the Sisters are completely free of charge (the trainees do not pay any fees), the SMMC Skills trainer solicited for financial support to meet some needs of the Centre.
According to her, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to pay electricity bills for the Centre which began as a bakery in 2016 and later transformed into a Skills training Centre for young women in 2021.
Also, the Centre suffers shortage of beds and mattresses to accommodate the young women and possible new admissions, since they have to live in the boarding house because of the out-of-town location of the Centre, she indicated.
Adding, she said they are also in need of sewing machines and accessories to enable them train more young women.
She also presented the need for a poly-tank to harvest rain water for the trainees’ use, as well as foodstuff to feed the ladies as many parents are not able to provide them with this vital need.
“We would be very grateful if you could help us solve all or any of these our challenges. Please we are counting on you for your support; help us!” she implored.
Mr. Alexander Agbenu, Staff at the Ghana Education Service, sitting in for the Chairperson of the occasion, Madam Mabel Srem-Sei, in an address, charged the graduands to be creative and utilize the skills gained.
“Graduands, be creative. Don’t sit down and watch your phones. You don’t have to stick to what you already know.
Look up for more information on the social media, and combine with what you already have, to be able to create something different and unique,” he said.
He added that this would attract people to them and to want to work with them.
He further underpinned that they can be creative by producing more items, which they could sell and fetch some money for themselves.
They could also market their products by taking them to the work place, to the churches and groups they belong to; in that way, people will get to know them and what they are capable of producing.
Mr. Agbenu encouraged them to have their individual albums with photos of their good products displayed in them, and showcased it for people to see.
Speaking on behalf of the graduands, Cecilia Mirekuwa, the overall best trainee for the year, expressed deep gratitude to God and to all who have made their training a reality.
“I stand here today as a proud and grateful participant of the first batch of Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre,” she noted.
She was particularly thankful to Sr. Cecilia Kudexa, SMMC, the founding Mistress of the Mater Ecclesiae Skills Training Centre, who happened to have been the emcee for the graduation ceremony, and the entire Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC), who gave birth to the training centre with the vision of “empowering and transforming the lives of teenage mothers, school drop-outs and young women through skills training”.
“Indeed, your foresight and vision has earned us a career today and we are very grateful. We say God bless you with an increase in wisdom, she prayed.
The graduands’ representative was equally indebted to Sr. Francisca Kumevor, SMMC, who has been “our mentor, trainer, counsellor, adviser, and above all, a mother to us throughout this period of internship”.
She was was also grateful to the administration for the opportunities given them by bringing in people to teach them about entrepreneurship and how to manage their businesses, nurses who came to give them health talks, Career Guidance and Mentorship Foundation for their support.
And to Mr. Henry Bayor, a trainer whom she expressed has been a father to them through the journey, Mirekuwa accentuated “Your time, discipline and principal investment in us will forever be appreciated and put to good use.
You are such an amazing person. May Almighty God bless you in thousand folds and replenish whatever you spent on us”.
The graduate expressed gratitude to their beloved families, individuals, cooperate bodies and all those who have sponsored and supported them in diverse ways, in making their dream come true, and all who made out time off their busy schedules to grace their graduation ceremony and be part of their success story.
To her fellow graduates, she said “I thank you all for the unity, love, comportment, exhibited throughout this period of our internship and also encourage us to remain same in our various communities”.
Dignitaries present at the graduation ceremony were: Mr. Jacob Adiabah, Human Resource Manager of Kwahu Afram Plains North District Assembly, representing the District Chief Executive (DCE), Hon. Nana Isaac Ofori-Koree, Mr. Augustine Effah, Head of Adminstration of the Donkorkrom Presbyterian Hospital, representing the General Manager and Mr. Nuhu Umar, Programme Director of Afram Plains Development Organisation (APDO), representing the Executive Director, Mr. Modoc A.Y.O.
Also present were Rev. Frs. Leopold Ettuh, Chancellor of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate and Vincent Amuzu Asafo, SVD, Bishop Secretary and Assistant Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, as well as Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church, Kwaekese Community.
Others were Madam Patience Avorkpo, staff at the District Assembly and Mr. John Paul Sadzi, Catechist of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Kwaekese.
Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator)
