By Julia Marin Makuac
Thirty-five women from 15 parishes across the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek have graduated from St. Monica Women’s Centre after successfully completing a three-month vocational and spiritual training programme aimed at empowering them to become self-reliant.
The graduates received practical training in tailoring, baking, hairdressing, crocheting, and lulu oil production, equipping them with income-generating skills to improve the livelihoods of their families and communities.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the Director of St. Monica Women’s Centre, Sr. Esther Wambuga, said the Centre was established to empower vulnerable women through vocational training while nurturing their spiritual growth.
She said the Centre recently introduced lulu oil processing after acquiring a machine to extract oil from lulu nuts, creating an additional income-generating opportunity for trainees.
In addition to vocational skills, the women participated in daily Holy Mass, rosary prayers, and religious instruction throughout their three-month stay. Sr. Esther emphasized that when women are economically empowered, they are better positioned to make informed decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Sr. Esther also explained that the Centre now provides start-up kits to enable graduates to establish businesses immediately after completing their training. Tailoring graduates receive sewing machines and related materials, while bakery graduates are provided with ovens and baking equipment.
She added that the equipment is distributed through parish priests rather than directly to the graduates to ensure accountability and continued support as they begin their businesses.
One of the graduates, Deborah Amou Chol from Thonaduel Parish, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying the training had transformed her life and equipped her with valuable skills for the future.
Another beneficiary, Priscilla Awong Kon from Cueibet County, encouraged her fellow graduates to put the knowledge they had gained into practice and become agents of positive change in their communities.
Fr. John Malou Beny urged the women to apply their newly acquired skills rather than remain idle. He reminded them that knowledge and skills are a greater form of wealth than money or material possessions because they create lasting opportunities and sustainable livelihoods.
Women selected for the programme are nominated through parishes across the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek. Parish priests identify committed women who demonstrate a willingness to use the training to improve their lives and uplift their communities.
As the 35 graduates returned to their respective parishes, they carried with them not only practical vocational skills but also renewed faith, confidence, and hope. The training is expected to help them build sustainable livelihoods while sharing their knowledge with other women, contributing to stronger families and more resilient communities across the Diocese.