In a significant stride towards inclusive empowerment, MTN Foundation and CleanAce Academy have jointly launched a specialised training programme to equip deaf individuals with vital employability and entrepreneurial skills.
The initiative, tagged the Inclusive Fabricare Skills Empowerment Programme, will train 30 hearing-impaired persons in professional fabric care and dry-cleaning skills.
Designed to address the critical shortage of trained manpower in Nigeria’s fabric care sector while promoting economic inclusion for persons with disabilities, the six-month vocational training programme comprises three months of classroom and practical instruction, two months of internship with partner dry-cleaning firms, and a final month dedicated to assessment and consolidation.
The Founder of Friends of the Deaf International Foundation (FDF), Mrs Funmilola Arike Ogunro, commended the partnership between MTN Foundation and CleanAce Academy as she described the initiative as a significant step towards promoting sustainable livelihoods and expanding economic opportunities for persons with disabilities.
According to her, the programme will provide professional fabric care training for 30 Deaf persons, equipping them with practical skills, entrepreneurial knowledge and essential tools required to achieve economic independence and self-reliance.
She stressed that persons with disabilities should not be viewed through the lens of charity but rather as valuable contributors to society and the economy. Ogunro noted that disability inclusion should be recognised as an investment in human capital and national development.
“Persons with disabilities are not charity cases. They have talents, skills and the capacity to contribute significantly to national development” she said, while urging public and private sector stakeholders to create more inclusive opportunities across different sectors of the economy.
The disability advocate expressed confidence in the success of the programme, describing the collaboration between MTN Foundation and CleanAce Academy as a model for impactful inclusion. She praised CleanAce Academy for its longstanding commitment to vocational training and economic empowerment within the Deaf community.
Ogunro noted that the academy has consistently demonstrated dedication to building the capacity of Deaf persons through skills acquisition programmes. She added that the institution’s efforts have helped many participants gain employability skills and entrepreneurial competence within the growing fabric care industry.
She also lauded MTN Foundation for supporting initiatives that promote self-reliance and economic inclusion for persons with disabilities, noting that such interventions would contribute significantly to reducing unemployment among members of the Deaf community.
According to her, the partnership is expected to improve the economic wellbeing of beneficiaries by providing them with opportunities to earn sustainable incomes and participate more actively in the nation’s economy.
Highlighting the impact of previous interventions, Ogunro disclosed that CleanAce Academy has successfully trained more than six cohorts of Deaf participants through its Inclusive Fabricare Empowerment Program. She noted that the program has continued to equip beneficiaries with valuable skills that enhance their employability and entrepreneurial prospects.
Speaking on the contributions of Friends of the Deaf International Foundation, Ogunro said the organisation has remained committed to advancing disability inclusion and improving access to education for persons with disabilities across Nigeria.
She revealed that the foundation has trained more than 6,000 individuals in Basic Sign Language over the past nine years as part of efforts to bridge communication gaps between Deaf and hearing communities.
Beyond sign language training, the foundation has also supported children with disabilities through advocacy, education, and empowerment programmes designed to improve their quality of life and social inclusion.
Ogunro reiterated that sustainable development cannot be achieved if persons with disabilities are left behind. She therefore called on government institutions, corporate organisations and development partners to strengthen efforts towards building a more inclusive society where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.
The event attracted key stakeholders in the disability inclusion sector, including representatives of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), officials of the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN) and various disability rights advocates.
Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that the MTN Foundation and CleanAce Academy partnership would serve as a catalyst for similar disability inclusion programmes across the country, helping to create more opportunities for Deaf persons and other persons with disabilities.
