Skill Up Rural Girls
SURG Project

The Issue

Across rural communities in Nigeria, women and girls continue to face limited access to economic opportunities due to poverty, low digital and vocational skills, and exclusion from entrepreneurship training. Many rural women possess the willingness to work and build livelihoods, but lack access to practical skills, startup knowledge, and mentorship needed to generate sustainable income.

In communities like Iloti, Ikole-Ekiti Local Government Area, women are often constrained to informal, low-income activities with little opportunity for growth. Without targeted skills training and entrepreneurship support, these barriers reinforce economic dependence and limit women’s ability to contribute meaningfully to household and community development.

“When women lack access to skills, communities lose engines of growth. Empowering women economically transforms entire families.”

Our Approach

To address economic exclusion and strengthen women’s livelihoods in rural communities, the Skill Up Rural Girls (SURG) project was launched as a collaborative, community-based skills and entrepreneurship initiative.

Implemented over two days (15th–16th September 2022) in Iloti community, Ikole-Ekiti, SURG brought together grassroots partners to equip rural women with practical vocational skills and entrepreneurship knowledge.

Upon arrival, the project team was warmly received by the community leadership and 30 women participants who were eager to learn. The program combined hands-on skills training with business development education, ensuring that participants could translate learning into income-generating opportunities.

SURG focused on:

Providing practical, market-relevant vocational skills.
Building entrepreneurship and business development capacity.
Promoting confidence, independence, and economic agency among rural women.
Strengthening community-based pathways to sustainable livelihoods.

Program Activities

Day One: Skills Acquisition Training Facilitated by Mrs. Olajumoke, Executive Director of FELAD, participants received step-by-step practical training on producing:

Liquid soap
Dettol
Izal disinfectant

The training was highly interactive, with hands-on demonstrations and participant engagement. Women actively asked questions, practiced production techniques, and demonstrated strong enthusiasm throughout the session.

Day Two: Entrepreneurship & Business Development

The second day focused on entrepreneurship education, covering:

Packaging and product presentation
Branding and market positioning
Marketing strategies for local businesses

The facilitator introduced the FOCUS principle (Follow One Course Until Successful), encouraging participants to commit to a clear business pathway. Mr. Blessing Tunde Dada, a supporting partner, further expanded discussions on branding, emphasizing authenticity, clarity, and specificity as key drivers of successful enterprises.

Impact Metrics

Indicator	Result
Women Trained	30 rural women
Community	Iloti, Ikole-Ekiti LGA, Ekiti State
Training Duration	2 days (15–16 September 2022)
Skills Acquired	Soap, Dettol & Izal production
Facilitators	FELAD, BibiGrace Foundation, SARAFACDI
Certificates Awarded	30 certificates issued

Outcomes & Impact

Increased vocational and entrepreneurship skills among participants.
Improved confidence and readiness to start small-scale businesses.
Enhanced understanding of branding, packaging, and marketing.
Strengthened collaboration between community women and partner organizations.
Recognition of participants’ commitment through certificate awards.
Renewed motivation among women to pursue income-generating activities.

Challenges Identified

Limited startup capital for immediate business launch.
Need for follow-up mentorship and business incubation support.
Market access constraints beyond the local community.
Demand for extended training duration.

Conclusion

The Skill Up Rural Girls (SURG) project demonstrated the transformative power of skills-based, community-led economic empowerment. Within just two days, rural women gained practical skills, business knowledge, and renewed confidence to take control of their economic futures.

The enthusiasm, participation, and commitment shown by the women of Iloti community affirm a critical lesson: when rural women are equipped with skills and opportunity, entire communities benefit.

SARAFACDI and its partners remain committed to expanding SURG, strengthening mentorship pathways, and supporting women-led enterprises across more rural communities.

“When women are skilled, families thrive, and communities grow stronger.”