By Tajudeen Adebanjo
Takat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) has trained and rewarded 40 artisans and traders.
They were selected from 160 applicants that applied for the maiden edition of the Traders/Artisans Development Project.
The marketable skills, ZSF said, was a creative scheme designed to promote entrepreneurial traits of traders and artisans in tackling poverty and unemployment.
ZSF Executive Director Sulayman Olagunju said 40 traders and artisans got 250,000 and N150,000 each.
Olagunju said: “Just as we have Business Plan Competition for graduates, this is for those … into vocation skills…
“During the training, we realised why so many of them don’t even have any marketability skills or know how to do follow up on their customers which go a long way in winning and retaining customers.
“The training will enhance their marketability skills and productivity; it will … help them to handle their income. They will be able to separate profit from investment, improve customers’ relationship, learn how to sell on credit and retrieve money from creditors.”
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He said ZSF came up with the initiative because some indigent were unable to communicate in English, depriving them from the Business Plan Competition (BPC).
“Some people were not privileged to participate in the normal business Plan Competition due to language barrier. Most of these people are traders and artisans and they can only communicate with their local dialect.
“So, the consultant came down to their level by interviewing and training them using their local language and … we were glad to say that they have done very well,” he said.
He advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money giving to them and share the knowledge with their colleagues.
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