Harvesters Church in Ikorodu has empowered over 150 participants to live a better life through its Harvesters Skills and Acquisition Program (HSAP), according to Pastor Smart Mahmood. He stated that the program, initiated by Lead Pastor Bolaji, aims to provide practical skills to members of the community, enabling them to become self-sufficient and a blessing to humanity. The participants graduated and received certificates of participation on Sunday, August 3rd.

He explained that the church believes in providing both spiritual and practical value to its members. “We strongly believe that we can help people to escape poverty, to live a better life, and become a blessing to humanity,” he said.

The program has trained participants in various skills, including digital marketing, soap making, shoe making, and software engineering. He noted that these skills enable participants to start earning a living, even without a job. Over 380 people have registered for the program, with over 150 graduates to date.

He emphasized that the church’s vision is to graduate 2,000 people from the program by the end of 2026, making a positive impact on the community. “Whatever they are doing now will be visible, and we believe that they should not just keep the skills under their bed,” he added.

He stated that Harvesters Church is breaking the stereotype that churches only provide spiritual value. Instead, the church is taking a holistic approach, addressing the practical needs of its members and the community.

The church plans to launch another program in November, which will be announced on its social media channels. He urged everyone to stay tuned, emphasizing that the goal is to empower individuals to live in abundance, rather than poverty. “Nobody should live in penury and poverty. We should live in abundance,” he concluded.

Olayinka Ajete, facilitator for baking and pastries, described the experience as wonderful, highlighting the church’s support and encouragement. “We were able to teach them baking, covering cakes, and other skills that they can easily do business with,” he said. Ajete expressed gratitude to Harvesters Church for the opportunity and looked forward to the next phase of the program.

Akanni Olalekan, facilitator for shoemaking, praised the program’s success, noting that the participants created most of the shoes they wore during the graduation ceremony. “I want to say thank you, HSAP, thank you Harvesters, thank you Pastor Bolaji, and thank you Pastor Smart for this opportunity,” he said. Olalekan encouraged the participants to stay motivated and utilize their newfound skills to achieve greater heights and financial success.

Faith Joy Okusu, one of the participants, expressed her gratitude for the makeup and gele tying training. “The experience was nice,” she said. “I didn’t know how to do makeup before, but with what I learned, I would know how to do it now, and with time, I’ll be an expert.” She plans to upgrade her skills further and potentially monetize them.

George Senami Favour, who participated in the wig revamping training, thanked the instructor, Mr. Koyino, and expressed gratitude to Jesus for the successful completion of the program. “We’ve learned a lot, and there were some challenges, but thanks to Mr. Koyino, he helped us,” she said. Favour is now confident in her skills and she’s offering her services in wig making and hair-related tasks.

Omotolani, who participated in the baking training, initially found it tough but eventually enjoyed the program. “I thank God for everything,” she said. She learned how to bake cakes, banana bread, and cupcakes, and decorate them. Omotolani plans to start her own baking business, using the skills she acquired to create her brand, QT Cakes, on social media.