Nigeria’s oil and gas logistics firm, INTELS Nigeria Limited has graduated a new batch of 85 beneficiaries of its popular Women Empowerment Project Scheme Synergy (WEPSS).

The women, who were trained in tailoring and fashion design, were drawn from INTELS’ host communities in Onne, Ogu and other parts of Rivers State, and the Niger Delta region.

The company also donated 1,000 garments to the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD). Speaking during the graduation ceremony of the Class of 2023 Batch B at the WEPSS Training Centre, Federal Lighter Terminal, Onne Port, Rivers State on Thursday, the Managing Director of INTELS Nigeria Limited, Mr. Pasquale Fiore, said the scheme is part of the company’s commitment to support and empower women.

“You have demonstrated to us that a promise made is a promise kept by keeping to the objectives of the programme through the transfer of skills, technology and employment. This shows that INTELS is a trailblazer in showing other free zone operators the way to go in making lives better,” he said.

Fiore said in addition to attracting businesses to Nigeria and generating revenue for the government, INTELS has made a significant impact on its host communities through various empowerment programmes such as WEPSS.

Fiore said WEPSS was set up to empower women in and around the company’s host communities to enhance their socio-economic status and to enable them to generate sustainable income to support their families. He expressed delight that WEPSS, which is in its 10th year, has made a strong positive impact on the lives of women in the host communities.

Fiore said INTELS has taken the WEPSS training a step higher by providing starter kits for the top graduating beneficiaries and also setting up a business for the best-graduating student.

The Project Manager of WEPSS, Nancy Freeborn, expressed appreciation to the management of INTELS for its commitment to the empowerment of women, promotion of Nigerian content and support for local communities.

On the donation of garments to the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, she said, “We live in a society where physically challenged people are not given the opportunities that able people are open to, so they need a hand to assist them. Some of them are already employed by INTELS, and giving them these garments will go a long way to support them.”

The high point of the graduation ceremony was the presentation of starter kits and a N2 million prize to Hannah Brown, who emerged as the Best Graduating Student of the Class of 2023 Batch B.

The starter kits, which include an industrial sewing machine and a steam iron among other items, were also presented to 15 other top graduating students.

The Class of 2023 Batch A Best Graduating Student, Dorbobari Dick, was also presented with the keys to a fully furnished and equipped shop to enable her to start her fashion design line.