By Vaye Lepolu
The Jewels Training Center (YJTC) was officially handed over to the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) in a ceremony held on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at the YWCA compound on Tubman Boulevard in Congo Town.
Madam Dellnot Gardiner, Chairperson of the Board of YWCA Jewels Training Center, emphasized that the turnover note signifies the transfer of the YJTC from the Jewel Starfish Foundation (JSF) to the YWCA, with both parties committed to continuing the empowerment of young women through the center’s facilities and resources.
Gardiner highlighted that the Jewel Starfish Foundation has pledged to provide guidance and support for the ongoing operation of the training center as needed. The YWCA Jewels Training Center offers professional skills training for young Christian women, including programs in Information Communication Technology, cosmetology, tailoring, quilting, and art and design.
Former Vice President of Liberia, Madam Jewel Howard Taylor, envisioned the promotion of skills training for young Liberian women to enhance their economic opportunities and benefit their families, Gardiner noted. Over 800 young Christian women have already benefited from the skills training provided at the Jewels Training Center under the supervision of the Jewel Starfish Foundation.
The total project cost for the construction of the training center is US$65,497.90, with an additional US$65,765.16 allocated for the first operational cycle, totaling US$131,530.32.
The YWCA expressed gratitude to the Jewel Starfish Foundation for their generous gesture towards empowering young Christian women. Chairperson of YWCA, Mrs. Hellen E. Bassey, assured that the facilities of the YWCA Jewels Training Center will be well managed to empower young women across Montserrado.
Bassey affirmed the YWCA’s commitment to taking full responsibility for the management and operation of the YJTC, emphasizing the importance of upholding the standards and values established at the training center to ensure its continued use for empowering young women in the community.
