From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

About Sixty members of the Nigerian Association of the Blind, Kebbi state chapter, have been trained on entrepreneurship as well as empowered with a cash grant of N50,000 each, with the sum total of N3million.

The one day training, which took place at the bouquet hall Government House, Birnin Kebbi, was organised by the Kebbi State Multipurpose Business Cooperative, an initiative of Wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu.

During the programme, cash grant of N50,000 was given to 58 members, and two sewing machines with N30,000 to two spouses of members of the Association. They are expected to engages in tading such as; pap making, vegetable farming and trading, selling recharge cards and pottery.

 

In her welcome address, the Treasurer of the Cooperative, Memuna, Jega explained that the empowerment programme was organized by the union under the office of Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu with support from the Kebbi state Government, stressed that all the aims of the programme was targeted at improving the standard of living of
Kebbi women, children and youth.

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While addressing the beneficiaries,Wife of the Kebbi State, Governor Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu urged them to use the grant to set up business that will sustain them and their family, which would
helped them to cease from streets begging.

She added that the goals of the current leadership of Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of kebbi state, are to reduce streets begging and provide empowerment opportunities to the people of the State.

The lead trainer, Abdulkarim Ibrahim from Sultana global resource, and Malam Ibrahim Umar from SMEDAN who spoke to the beneficiaries on different business skills, enlightened them about the
different opportunities the Nigerian Government has put in place to
help small businesses.

They also informed them that SMEDAN provides market links for small business and invited them to visit the state office to discover more opportunities.

Earlier, the coordinator of the group in the office of the wife of the governor, Mubarak Mohammed, disclosed that under the Blind assistance
initiative, 16 girls, who were begging with their blind parents have  been enrolled back in schools, with their school fees fully paid, with food and subjected to monitoring by the Kebbi Hilwa group.