"KAFAWA has moulded me into a new person. I see a future in the skills they gave me for free and I will always make them proud."

Our Stories

Kafawa Trainee

Folakemi's Story

I am Folakemi Akinseloyin. After the interview, I was called to start training, I was happy because I would be using a leather industrial machine for the first time and improve my machine skills. I was inspired to join this program because I love shoes and was once limping. Getting shoes for my legs which had different lengths was hard. This made me think about helping others with a similar struggle.

I am a sickle cell patient and my first week here, I had a crisis. I struggled with the staircases, shuffling between here and the hospital and dealing with the pain when I got home. This was a lot to balance but the love and understanding here helped me a lot. I never missed a class but I was allowed to leave earlier sometimes for my hospital appointments. KAFAWA has moulded me into a new person. I see a future in the skills they gave me for free and I will always make them proud.

Ismaila Sefiat, A Kafawa Trainee, shares her story

Kafawa Trainee

John's Story

Passion, zeal and curiosity brought me to KAFAWA. Theres a picture of bags I desire. I had so many unanswered questions about bag making as a local bag maker. I was doubtful when I was introduced to the program but I wanted to learn all I could from everyone I could. Knowing it was free made it even better because then, I had nothing to lose. With all I have experienced, I am amazed.

In the course of this training, I have had my struggles. Three accidents, financial challenges worsened by the distance between home and training but I could not let go of such an opportunity. Sometimes, I begged for fare on my way to training.

KAFAWA was a dream. I'm just glad to be part of it. Now, I think my struggles are over as I intend to give it my all to make sure my dreams become a reality. For me and KAFAWA. KAFAWA is restoration to me.

KAFAWA has moulded me into a new person. I see a future in the skills they gave me for free and I will always make them proud.

- Folakemi, Kafawa Pilot Trainee

A Kafawa Footwear Trainee, Ridwan Ige, discusses his journey to the program, and his experience thus far (November 2021)