A young female shoemaker in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Sharon Ijuolachi Akpa, is set to host a one-week free shoemaking training aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with practical skills and breaking gender stereotypes in the craft industry.
The open-space shoemaking project will run from Wednesday, September 23 to Tuesday, September 30, at Tropicana Restaurant, 21 Aloh Street, behind Green Park, Abakaliki. The program promises to provide participants with hands-on experience in shoemaking, mentorship, and opportunities to embrace creativity as a path to self-reliance.
Speaking on the initiative, Akpa described the project as her way of giving back to society while inspiring others to believe in the power of skills acquisition. “What if I tell you that you can learn the basics of shoemaking in just one week for free? This is my way of sharing my journey and showing young people how far they can go with determination and hard work,” she said.
Akpa, who discovered her passion for shoemaking during her National Youth Service year, explained that the craft has not only sustained her but also enabled her to establish a restaurant business. She urged Nigerian youths, especially young women, to embrace vocational skills rather than depend solely on white-collar jobs.
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“I want to encourage the youths, especially young girls, to take to shoemaking. When I left the university, I started this journey with little, but today it has made me self-reliant and opened doors to new ventures,” she added.
As part of the training, most of the shoes produced will be donated to schools, reinforcing the project’s community-driven approach.
Akpa emphasized that the initiative seeks to challenge societal norms by encouraging more women to excel in industries traditionally dominated by men. “Shoemaking is not just for men. With passion and consistency, women can equally thrive and even surpass expectations,” she noted.
The one-week shoemaking marathon is expected to draw participants from across Ebonyi and neighboring states, offering them skills, networking opportunities, and renewed confidence to pursue entrepreneurship.
