Transcorp Hotels Plc said it had graduated the 16th cohort of its Business Empowerment Programme for Women (BEPW), describing the initiative as aimed at strengthening local economic activity by equipping participants with vocational and business skills.
The company said the BEPW, which it identified as one of its flagship sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives, combines hands-on tailoring training with instruction in business management, financial literacy, marketing and customer service.
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme provides young women with hands-on tailoring training, as well as skills in business, financial management, marketing, and customer service.
It said the curriculum was designed to enable beneficiaries to start and sustain small enterprises and improve household incomes.
Transcorp Hotels said it launched the programme in 2016 in partnership with ACE Charity and that, since inception, a total of 64 women had completed the training. The company said the six-month course culminates with the donation of sewing machines and other relevant tools, which it described as intended to help graduates immediately begin entrepreneurial activities.
The firm said the programme also promotes circular fashion practices by repurposing pre-used hotel bedding for practical training, a measure that both reduces waste and introduces participants to sustainable textile use within local value chains.
Speaking on the impact of the initiative, Uzoamaka Oshogwe, MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, said: “We believe hospitality goes beyond the experiences we create within our hotels. Through this programme, we are investing in young women, supporting entrepreneurship, creating social and economic impact, and promoting sustainability.
We are proud of the 16th cohort graduands and look forward to the businesses they will build, the jobs they will create, and the positive impact they will have on their communities and Nigeria’s economy.”
Transcorp Hotels Plc is the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc.