More than 100 women in Ogun State have received vocational training in makeup artistry and traditional gele styling under a free empowerment programme organised by Ambassador Adedoyin Idris Shonuga, a West African Youth Council (WAYC) Ambassador.

The five-day Gele and Makeup Masterclass, held at the Catholic Church Hall, Ilaporu, Ijebu North Local Council, was designed to equip participants with practical skills they could use to establish small businesses and generate sustainable income.

The programme is part of Shonuga’s broader humanitarian and community development initiatives aimed at promoting economic independence, youth development and improved livelihoods in underserved communities across the state.

Speaking to the participants, Shonuga said empowering women with vocational skills was one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, improve family welfare and stimulate economic growth at the grassroots.

“As a West African Youth Ambassador and a female leader in the security industry, empowering women is at the heart of everything I do.

“True security goes beyond installing CCTV systems and physical monitoring. It is about economic independence, self-reliance and personal development. When women acquire practical skills, they build sustainable livelihoods, become financially independent and strengthen their communities,” she said.

The masterclass combined practical training in professional makeup application and gele styling with mentoring sessions on entrepreneurship, personal branding, customer relations and business resilience.

The organisers said the programme was deliberately designed to create practical, income-generating opportunities for women seeking alternative sources of livelihood amid prevailing economic challenges.

Beyond technical skills, the participants were encouraged to develop leadership qualities, confidence and innovative approaches that would enable them to contribute positively to their communities.

Shonuga said investing in women had a multiplier effect that extended beyond individual beneficiaries.

“When women succeed economically, families become stronger, communities become more resilient and society becomes safer. Security and empowerment are inseparable,” she said.

The empowerment programme followed another community-focused intervention by Shonuga in July, when she donated six Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to schools in Ijebu-Ode amid concerns over the safety of pupils following reported kidnapping incidents in parts of the area.

The cameras were installed at St. Augustine Catholic School, Odo-Egbun; Joke Taiwo School, Akpebi; and Muslim Primary School, Ititale.

The surveillance systems are expected to improve monitoring around the schools, enhance the early detection of suspicious movements and enable school authorities to work more effectively with security agencies when necessary.

Shonuga urged governments, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to invest in community development initiatives that would improve education, security and economic opportunities for vulnerable groups.

While acknowledging government efforts to provide infrastructure and social services, she stressed that sustainable development required stronger partnerships among public institutions, private organisations and humanitarian groups.

She reaffirmed her commitment to programmes focused on women’s empowerment, youth development and community safety, expressing confidence that sustained investment in people would help build safer, more prosperous and resilient communities across Ogun State and beyond.