• Itsekiri NextGen Project: 2024 Session 8 Report
• Topic: Craft
• Date: 9th of March 2024
• Volunteers Present: 6
• Total Number of Attendees: 72
• Timings: 09:00am – 1:00pm
• Venue: Former Caravan 4, Aja-Pessu (Pessu Town), Warri
• Main Topic/Activity: Handmade Ankara Bags, Slippers, and Book Covers
• Resource Person: Roselyn Bemigho Ugbeye

Summary:

Session 8 focused on craftwork as part of our economic and entrepreneurial initiatives. Participants learned to create handmade Ankara bags, slippers, and book covers using locally available materials.

Session Delivery:

The session commenced at 10 am with the opening prayer and the singing of the Itsekiri Anthem.

Emmanuel Egbe provided a recap of the previous session on personal hygiene.

Roselyn Bemigho Ugbeye then led the session, introducing the topic, materials, and benefits of learning this craft. She conducted three practical demonstrations for the participants.

Materials Used:

• Ankara fabric
• UHU gum
• Scissors
• Needle and thread
• Bathroom slippers
• Small beads or stones
• Warden (hard material for the bag)

First, she demonstrated how to create Ankara book covers. Many participants didn’t bring their books and materials for wrapping, but upon seeing the finished product, more than half went home to retrieve their materials.

Next, she showed how to make Ankara slippers, wrapping one pair with Ankara and decorating it with a flower design made from Ankara circles. Participants eagerly assisted, with one child wrapping an entire pair of slippers independently.

Finally, she demonstrated how to make an Ankara bag from scratch, using warden as the base material and wrapping it with Ankara fabric. The participants expressed their amazement and excitement as they witnessed the process.

The participants enthusiastically engaged in creating their own crafts. Some finished quickly and offered assistance to others. They were delighted to learn new skills that they could develop further and even turn into a brand.

The session was both enjoyable and educational.

Volunteers:

• Debi Amadedon
• Emmanuel Egbe
• Omatsola Okpeayaghan
• Roselyn Bemigho Ugbeye
• Jolomi Tedeye
• Eworitsemogha Wyse

Other key activities during the session:

Participants engaged in hands-on craftwork.

What went wrong:

Nothing went wrong.