Groups seek Kaduna’s support to empower women

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From ABDULL-AZEEZ AHMED KADIR, Kaduna
To mitigate poverty in households and communities by empowering rural women with vocational and literacy skills to enable them set up small businesses that could generate  income and enhance their standard of living, the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) in conjunction with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has sought the support of Kaduna State Government (KDSG) for the activation project for sustainability.
The Director General of NCWD Mrs Fatima Hassan Betara made this appeal yesterday in Kaduna during a call on the State Governor at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.
She said the pilot scheme began in 2007 in Kano State with three year implementation period which elapsed in January 2010.
She said the objectives of the WDC/JICA Activation Project was to tackle rural poverty, using the centre as an empowerment medium. “Thus, the first phase of the project was to be executed in six Local Government Areas of kano State namely; Bichi, Dambatta, Gwale, Gezawa and Kumbotso with tremendous success” she said.
This success, she said gave birth to the second phase; 2011-2014 to be undertaken in six selected states of Kaduna, Cross River, Kano, Niger, Anambra and Kwara. In Kaduna, she said the projects are to be situated in Women Developments Centres in Zaria, Igabi and Jaba Local Government Areas.
Baseline studies she said a have been completed for this second phase, instructors trained on emerging techniques in sewing, knitting interior decoration, catering hair dressing, bead making, food processing and literacy courses such as Business Development and Management, Simple Accounting, Action Plan Development in Kaduna and Abuja.
Equipments she said a have been supplied to the centres in Kaduna with Project Desk Officers and other members of the project team trained on ICT skills to enhance their use of computer in line with modern trends.
She said the project served as the Federal Government’s contribution to women empowerment and urged Kaduna State Government to ensure its sustainability, supervision, encourage and mobilise as well as set up financial support scheme to graduates of the projects to enable them set up small businesses and become employers of labour.
Responding, Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa represented by his Deputy; Alhaji Muhktar Ramalan Yero said he was glad womenwere being are been recognised and empowered due to the assistance they render to the family.
He assured that the state government would honour its part in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The governor assured that the supervision shall be taken seriously, mobilise women for the project to ensure it success.
He urged the Centre to ensure evaluation of the graduates is made a periodical issue to ensure those given Starter pack utilise it to advantage in line with the aim of the project.
He said the state government was working to sevive its Women development centres in the state as well as establish new ones; three in each Senatorial zone.

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