By Rtn Karina Igonikon
The Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City has empowered four women with sewing machines after the successful completion of a six month skills acquisition programme organised by the club.
The presentation was held on Monday, 23rd February 2026, to celebrate Rotary International’s 121st anniversary.
The day was also the club’s 13th anniversary as the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City is one of the few Rotary clubs that share the same anniversary date, 23rd February, as Rotary International.
President Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City, Rtn. Jessica Uzonwanne noted that the skills acquisition programme was carried out under the Community Economic Development area of focus which aims to empower community members with life skills that can make them self reliant and was glad that the trainees were committed to the six months training.
The trainees displayed beautiful gowns, trousers and other clothes they had sewn to showcase their skills and appreciated the club for changing their lives.
Presenting the sewing machines to the beneficiaries, who were drawn from Koko-Ama, one of the host communities of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City, District Governor District 9141, Rtn Anthony Woghiren charged them to make best use of the machines to perfect the sewing skills they have learnt and empower their families by making a good living.
He noted that training and empowerment projects like the skills acquisition programme organised by the club is what Rotary International has been doing round the world in various ways for the past 121 years, offering quality service to humanity.
“Monies that were used to train you and to buy your starter packs are monies from our pockets. From the little we get, we sacrifice that little and share it.
So all I expect is that we don’t want you to tell us thank you, the thank you we want is for you to carry out what you’ve learnt, use it to assist your families, use it to train other people, use it to empower other people. That is the ‘thank you’ Rotary wants from you.
Not that we buy the materials and give you starter packs, tomorrow morning you go and sell it. If you do it, what you’re telling us is that we have wasted our time and energy to train you and empower you.”
The District Governor emphasised that the club’s monitoring and evaluation committee in the club would go around and visit the beneficiaries to see how well they were faring hereafter.
He further announced the training of another four persons from the community to be sponsored by the District before the 2025-2026 Rotary year ends.
Amanyanabo of Koko Kingdom, HRH Frank Iritamunoke Koko, Opuchiri IV, lauded the club for looking inwards to empower indigenes of the community as he noted that not only have the women been trained in sewing skills they did not know before but have been given the necessary sewing machines to put the skills to work, which will help in improving their skills. He further pledged more support for Rotary activities.
“I am grateful that you found members of our community worthy to benefit from this skills acquisition programme. I pray that you continue this good work that this organisation is known for. On our part, Koko Ama will do what we can to support your course. Thank you,” he added.
One of the beneficiaries Hope Isaac appreciated the club for training them for six months, adding that it has not only given them a skill but also given them a good means of livelihood.
The high point of the celebration was the cutting of Rotary International 121st Anniversary and the club’s 13th anniversary cake by DG Woghiren and HRH King Frank Iritamunoke Koko.
The club also presented a birthday gift to DG Anthony Woghiren, whose birthday is on 24th February.
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