From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Fifty Christian widows in Benue State have benefitted from the one month skills acquisition training organized for them by the Kukah Center in conjunction with the Fountain of Life Church.
The Center also presented the sum of 50 thousand Naira each to each of the benefitting widows to help them start up their businesses and to enable them become self reliant.
The program tagged; “Building Resilience and Supporting Christian Widows Adversely affected by violent conflict in Makurdi, Benue State, was held at the Pastoral Center in Makurdi, the state capital on Thursday.
Speaking during the start up presentation, Project Manager of Kukah Foundation, Hajara Waziri stated that the project was conceptualized by the Kukah Center and Fountain of Life Church to support Christian Widows in northern Nigeria.
She added that the first phase of the project was held in Kaduna last year where 25 widows were trained and supported start up their businesses.
“Now we are training 50 Christian Widows from various denominations. We came to Benue after series of research were done. After the four weeks training, we are presenting start-ups to the widows to start up their businesses.”
She urged the benefiting widows to use the money judiciously to improve their lives and those of their children.
On his part, Pastor Simeon Nyihemba of ECWA North Bank, Makurdi commended the organizers of the project for the gesture even as he enjoined the beneficiaries to use the skills they have acquired as well as the money to positively impact on their lives.
Giving an overview of the training, the trainer, Mrs. Vivian Ashami disclosed that 24 women were trained in the production of household products while 26 others were trained in baking.
“We had 24 women under the household group and they made eight different products including liquid soap, hair shampoo, hair food, coconut oil, tumeric oil, germicides and tablet soaps.
“We also trained 26 women under the baking section. They made 13 products including cake, cookies and varieties of small chops.”
Some of the beneficiaries including Victoria Jatau, Theresa Manyi and Igbudu Matina all thanked the organizers for the gesture and promised to make judicious use of the start up fund given to them.