Helpline Foundation for the Needy, an NGO in collaboration with Make a Difference for the Needy Foundation and Association of Wives of Traditional Rulers in FCT, have called for practical approach to end poverty among women.
Founder of the group Dr Jumai Ahmadu, made the call while briefing newsmen at the end of a skill acquisition training organised for rural women, as part of activities to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, on Sunday in Abuja.
Ahmadu also emphasised that it was time to move beyond the “yearly talk shows,” to empowerment of rural women, especially at a time when countries are battling to recover from the economic difficulties occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She explained that the foundation chose to empower women with skills, in line with the 2021 theme which is choose to challenge.
“We just want to bring them together, to give them some skills, so that they can challenge themselves, and by the time we meet next time, we will be able to identify the specific things they have done as a result of us bringing them here.
“We also want to move beyond the yearly conferencing, to real empowerment.
“We have realised that talking is enough, but what women can practically do that makes them better, is what we should focus more on.
“That is why Helpline Foundation and its partners this year decided to go to the 17 chiefdoms in the FCT and some parts of Niger and Nasarawa States to see how we can empower them with skills.
“Ranging from Izal making, liquid soap making, shoes and bag making and even beni seed cake making. These have been identified as great sources of revenue generation for women in rural communities,” Ahmadu said.
She said that to start most of the businesses introduced to the women were less capital intensive, adding that they were skills that could be put to use and help them support their families.
Speaking, Mrs Maria Ogbonnaya-Ngwu, the Founder of Make A Difference for the Needy Foundation, said that the programme was borne out of the believe that every woman has the potential to transform her life regardless of her circumstances.
Ogbonnaya-Ngwu noted that the era whereby the man was seen as the sole provider for his family had gone, adding that the financial burden on men could eventually leads to untimely death if help was not coming from their partners.
Also, the wife of the Garki Chief, Hannatu Usman- Nga, who spoke on behalf of the wives of traditional rulers in FCT, thanked the Helpline Foundation for the Needy, for coming down to the grassroots to empower rural women.
“I’m so happy that our passion is to see how our women especially widows can be self-reliant. The women are encouraged by what Helpline Foundation has done,” she added. (NAN)
