Women Empowerment Through Education (WETE) is a brainchild of Dr. Sr. Claret Ogbuehi, a Catholic Sister from Immaculate Heart of Mary. The operational office of WETE is the Catholic Institute for Development Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), situated at 1-3 CIDJAP Street, Uwani, Enugu. The NGO was founded in 2015 and was registered with the Ministry of Gender and Social Development. The project is funded by Stephanus Foundation, Frankfurt, Germany, with the website womenete.
In the year 2021, WETE started the project of empowering 10 young women to learn skills in art and craft, decoration, catering, cosmetology, hairdressing, hotel and home management, and other related fields. The training lasted for two years, from 2021 to 2023. The aim of training these young girls is for them to gain basic skills and education that will make them self-reliant, well-groomed, cultured, and fully armed to face life’s challenges. The Founder, Sr. Claret Ogbuehi, and Michaela Koller of Stephanus Foundation decided to come down to Nigeria to see the beneficiaries, assess the impact of the project, and interview prospective new beneficiaries for the second batch of the programme. The team arrived in Enugu on 12th July 2023 and was to stay for one week in Enugu.
On the 13th day of July 2023, the team met some persecuted Christians who were invited to the office and gave them some relief. Two of them were referred to hospitals to access proper medical care. Afterwards, they went to the Nazareth House Skill Centre to meet with the graduating students, the Catholic Women Organisation President in the person of Julieth Ifesinachi Ani, and the teachers at the Nazareth House. The Co-ordinator, Dr. Mrs. Ebele Odinachi, introduced the team, Michaela Koller (Stephanus Foundation), Sr. Claret Ogbuehi (Director WETE), and Rev. Fr. Chidiebere Ani (Deputy Director CIDJAP). She informed the house that Sr. Claret, in her magnanimity, started the project after seeing the sufferings of young women in Nigeria, many families are persecuted physically and emotionally by the policies of the government and the society. They end up in an early marriage that brings suffering, molestation, home violence, depression, divorce, and other vices, thereby recycling poverty in the society. Sr. Claret presented this felt need of training persecuted young women to the Stephanus Foundation, and they supported her to make her dream a reality. The Deputy Director of CIDJAP also thanked our visitors and appreciated them for this noble task.
The Founding Director of WETE, Rev. Dr. Sr. Claret Ogbuehi, encouraged the beneficiaries to be of good behavior. Sister Claret Ogbuehi appreciated the teachers and the pioneer beneficiaries of WETE. She encouraged the beneficiaries to hold on to what they learnt so that they would not be over-dependent on their husbands. She maintained that when one becomes so dependent on a man, she will be ready to face domestic violence. She wished them well and urged them to be good ambassadors of Nazareth House Vocational Centre and WETE. Michaela Koller also sent warm greetings from Stephanus Foundation to all the stakeholders.
The teachers and the principal of the school thanked Sr. Claret and Stephanus Foundation for the help they have rendered to the beneficiaries and to the school. The President of the Catholic Women’s Organisation expressed her happiness over the wonderful support that was extended to the beneficiaries and the school. She promised that they would continue to do their best in nurturing the young girls who were sent to the centre. The visitors were presented with some of the products that were made at the school.
On 14th July 2023, the team went to Guardian Angel Motherless Babies Home (GAMB) and CIDJAP St Joseph School to interact with the children. Afterwards, the students at St Monica Comprehensive School were visited and later came back to CIDJAP to meet some persecuted Christians.
On 15th June, the team went to Aruike ndi Oria and Ofuobi Africa Centre. On Sunday, the team attended a church visit at Divine Mercy Centenary Estate, Enugu. On Tuesday, 18th July 2023, a courtesy visit was paid to the Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University. The visit accorded Michaela Koller the opportunity to interact with the Head of the Department of Political Science. Michaela expressed her desire to do exchange programmes with the department. Afterwards, the team relaxed and evaluated the activities of the week and thanked God for the opportunity to be part of the social project that brings hope and eases the problems of mankind.
The visit from the Founder and the Funder of WETE gave a human face to the project, as all the parties were allowed to interact and rub minds together on the way forward. It afforded the beneficiaries the opportunity of meeting the people who have helped to change their life stories. They were all grateful for the opportunity that was accorded to them and promised to be good ambassadors of WETE.
