From Exclusion to Empowerment: MTN Foundation Partners with CleanAce to Train Deaf Nigerians in Fabric Care
In a landmark move for economic inclusion, the MTN Foundation has joined forces with CleanAce Foundation and Academy to launch the Inclusive Fabricare Skills Empowerment Programme, a first-of-its-kind training initiative designed to bridge the gap between Nigeria’s booming fabric care industry and persons with disabilities.
Unveiled at a stakeholder event in Lagos on 23 June 2026, the programme will equip 30 deaf and hard-of-hearing participants with professional skills in dry-cleaning and fabric care — sectors facing a critical shortage of trained workers across the country.
Over the course of six months, trainees will complete three months of intensive classroom and hands-on instruction, followed by two months of paid internship with leading dry-cleaning firms and a final month dedicated to assessment and consolidation. Graduates will receive a government-recognized certificate, developed with the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) and the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board. This credential, described as equivalent to a semi-diploma, will open doors to employment and entrepreneurship.
The initiative was inspired by a simple act of inclusion. Eniibukun Adebayo, Founder of the CleanAce Group, described how one hearing-impaired employee’s rapid mastery of fabric care challenged workplace assumptions and sparked a movement.
“We gave one person an opportunity, and he excelled. What others learned in a month, he learned in a week,” said Adebayo at the launch. “We started this programme on our own, trained six cohorts, and now, with MTN Foundation’s support, we’re scaling up to reach even more people.”
The sector’s need for skilled labor is acute. Adebayo, who also chairs the Fabricare Professionals and Dry Cleaners Association, noted that over 200 dry-cleaning businesses nationwide are ready to employ graduates of the programme. Successful trainees can expect starting salaries upwards of ₦200,000 monthly, with many graduates launching their own businesses.
Applicants must be Lagos residents registered with LASODA and hold at least a secondary school certificate. Registration is now open.
Edward Fagbohun, Senior Manager, Programme Implementation at MTN Foundation, emphasized the organisation’s commitment to equity as a core value: “Disability, equity, and inclusion sit at the heart of MTN Foundation’s mission. In many parts of the world, disability is still seen as a disadvantage. We want to prove that ability is everywhere — and that with the right support, persons with disabilities can thrive as self-reliant contributors to society.”
MTN Foundation will conduct a rigorous impact evaluation upon completion of the pilot phase, with future expansion under consideration.
The launch drew praise from disability advocates. Olubowale Sodeinde, Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN), called the initiative “a landmark step toward real inclusion,” urging other corporations to follow suit. Funmilola Ogunro, Founder of Friends of the Deaf International Foundation, lauded the program for “shifting the narrative from charity to empowerment.”
For Moses Peter Abba, a CleanAce employee with hearing impairment, the journey is personal. “When I started, I thought the work looked too technical. But within a week, I was ironing independently. The opportunity changed my life.”
The event concluded with a tour of the CleanAce training facility, offering guests a firsthand look at the inclusive environment set to welcome the inaugural cohort.
Registration is now open for qualified Lagos residents with hearing impairment. For more information, visit https://www.cleanacefoundation.com/pwds
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Pix: 1-2: L-R: Academy Coordinator, CleanAce Foundation & Academy, Fasomo Cornelius, Director Monitoring & Evaluation and Elderly Care, Dr. (Mrs.) Adekola Funmilayo, Founder Friends of The Deaf Int’l Foundation (FDF), Funmilola Ogunro, Founder CleanAce Group, Eniibukun ADEBAYO, Senior Manager, Programs Implementation, MTN Foundation, Edward Fagbohun, HR Director, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mrs Omolade Sonubi and Chairman Lagos Chapter, Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN), Olubowale Sodeinde at the launch of MTN Foundation and CleanAce Vocational Training for Deaf Nigerians in Lagos recently.
