Aidoghie Paulinus, Gombe
Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Aids for Women, Adolescent and Children International Organization (AWACIO), empowered 47 widows in Gombe State. The widows were trained in the skills of tailoring, hair-dressing, soap making, pastry and catering and seed grinding. They were presented for graduation at Kaltungo, Kaltungo Local Government.
Wife of the CBN Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Mrs Asabe Adamu, encouraged participants to be diligent in using their newly acquired skills to enhance their economic wellbeing. Her husband, Edward, represented by a deputy director, Alhaji Bappah Ahmed, said CBN has the mandate to manage the nation’s economy by creating wealth and eradicating poverty through the “Touching Lives Initiative.
“The initiative offers practical relief, succour, hope, opportunities and credible platforms to liberate and empower the under privileged, the disadvantaged and hard-to-reach persons in the society. The ultimate aim is to reduce poverty.
“In fact, it is expected that the project should have a positive ripple effects on the entire Gombe State because each beneficiary of this starter packs is expected to employ or partner with others.” The graduating trainees were largely drawn from Gombe South Senatorial District.
There were dances performed by the beneficiaries. A raffle draw was instituted for a brand-new generator eventually won by an invited guest. Dignitaries were not left out as they inspected with satisfaction the tents (which displayed starter packs) and an exhibition of the products made by beneficiaries during their training. The products ranged from cloths, seeds, hair weaves, soap and air-freshener, pastries, including cakes and chin-chin.
Dr Claudia Okeke said: “AWACIO was set up to empower women, children, adolescents and the vulnerable groups in the society. The organisation is committed to provide succour for widows and help them come to such skills that will enable them live a healthy and economically independent life.
“To meet the goal of AWACIO and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on poverty eradication, AWACIO and CBN held this empowerment programme in Gombe South. This opportunity has allowed AWACIO to meet the SDG objective on poverty reduction. It is our hope that the successful candidates use their skills to enhance their lives and those in the community.
“The beauty of the skill acquisition programme is that the participants would in turn train others, whether relatives or not and pass the information on to create a more enhanced economic community. All that AWACIO will immediately begin a one-year monitoring and evaluation programme to ensure that the trainees are using their skills and making money.”
She cited the case of some past AWACIO’s empowerment programmes where the trainees were earning N45,000 a week, some N20,000, and some N5,000, depending on the type of skill.”