By joshua Ododo Sponsors Digital Fashion Training For 315 Kogi Youths Across 21 LGAs
…. Beneficiaries to Train 10 Others Each to Promote Grassroots Skills Development, Sustainability
The Kogi State Government, under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, has sponsored a digital fashion design and creative enterprise training programme for 315 youths drawn from the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
The programme, known as the HER MARK Fashion Digital Designing Training Programme, is being managed by THE-YEM Fashion Home in Lokoja under the Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo HER MARK – Youth-based Household-Inclusive Digital Design and Creative Enterprise Program.
It is the second edition of the initiative in the state. The first edition was held under the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello and covered only one LGA. The current edition, sponsored by Governor Ododo, has been expanded to cover all 21 LGAs with 15 beneficiaries selected from each council.
Speaking during the flag-off in Lokoja, the Chief Executive Officer of The YEM Fashion Home and Project Lead of HER MARK, Mrs. Opeyemi Bamijoko Alonge, said the programme is designed to bridge the gap between traditional fashion and emerging digital technologies.
According to her, the three-month intensive training, which includes one-month practical training, will move participants away from conventional tailoring with ordinary machines to a modern, AI-driven and digital skill-based enterprise model.
She listed the modules to include:
– Introduction to Fashion Digital Designing
– Design with CorelDRAW / Illustrator
– Monogram Design
– Product Make-up and Branding
– Design for DTF, Flex, Sublimation Printing
– Portfolio Development
– Business and Freelance Opportunities
“Digital fashion design means that the world is changing. You acquire a skill that you can use to make money even from the comfort of your home. Even if you do not have the money to rent a shop, you can use your computer or phone to design and sell,” Alonge said.
She disclosed that her two-year training experience through the United Nations inspired the initiative, adding that the previous cohort received machines and N500,000 financial support each from government to start their businesses. She expressed optimism that similar institutional support will be extended to the current beneficiaries, who will also receive starter packs, machines and laptops at the end of the training.
Also speaking, Oluwaseun Aiyejoto Alabi, Consultant and Lead Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the HER MARK programme at MOTRAC Global Resources Limited, said the project was structured to deliver more than basic vocational training.
Alabi explained that the consulting firm adopted a framework built around continuity, sustainability, scalability and artificial intelligence to ensure beneficiaries can compete beyond Kogi State and access the global freelance economy.
He said the programme combines practical fashion design skills with AI, digital tools, business development and guidance on transitioning into the digital economy.
On sustainability, Alabi disclosed a grassroots multiplier model where every beneficiary, after completing the initial training, will return to their respective communities to train an additional 10 people over a two-week period. If fully implemented, the 315 beneficiaries will extend the skills to 3,150 additional youths across the state.
“Our guiding principle is simple: You see, you try, and then you share,” he said. “We want them to learn, practice and then share their knowledge.”
He added that some instructors facilitating the current training are beneficiaries of the first cohort who have grown their own businesses, demonstrating the initiative’s potential to produce skilled professionals who give back.
The training schedule combines classroom instruction, live demonstrations, hands-on exercises and digital learning sessions, facilitated by industry-active instructors to keep the programme practical and responsive.
The HER MARK Digital Fashion Designing Training Programme is expected to contribute significantly to youth empowerment in Kogi State by expanding access to digital skills, promoting entrepreneurship and encouraging young people to turn creative talent into sustainable economic opportunities.