From Paul Orude, Bauchi
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mafita Women and Youth Development Initiative (MWYDI), has trained 50 women in Miri, Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on liquid soap, Vaseline, bar soap and hair cream making.
Founder of the NGO, Mrs Theresa Orude, said the aim was to empower the beneficiaries to become independent and self reliance.
“We taught the women, who are mostly housewives, how to source the materials to make the products,” she said.
“We also taught them to form groups where they can contribute money because some of them may not be financially strong to afford the materials. Through such groups they can pool
resources together to buy the materials,” she said.
She disclosed that each of the participants went home with the products adding that Mafita planned to extend the training to more communities in the State.
Mrs Orude appealed for support from well meaning individuals and organisations to reach out to more women as the NGO’s activities are sponsored by members of the organisation.
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One of the beneficiaries, Amina Salisu, expressed gratitude for the training saying the liquid soap would generate money for her to support her family.
“I would take it to markets to sell after making it and my family can also use so we will no longer spend money buying liquid soap or Vaseline,”Salisu said.
Other participants, Rekiya Mohammed, Maryam Umar and Saratu Musa thanked Mafita for the training.
“The training was free and we had never had this kind before. It was as if God has answered our prayers, ” they said.
The beneficiaries thanked Mafita Women and Youth Development Initiative for training them, saying it was the first time an organisation would carry out such a training for women in Miri.
According to Maryam Umar, the training was timely especially now that detergent and soap have become expensive.
She appealed to government and well meaning individuals and corporate organisation to complement the efforts of Mafita by ensuring that they support the beneficiaries with start up capital to expand and sustain the business liquid soap and Vaseline making which they have been taught.