FROM: PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI

The Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA) has trained over 800 women and youths in different skill acquisition and vocational programmes across the country in the last two years.

Wife of the Chief of Air Staff and the National President of NAFOWA, Hajia Hafsat Sadique Abubakar disclosed this, on Friday, while flagging-off skill acquisition and vocational training for 150 women, widows and youth at Air Force base, Bauchi.

Hajia Abubakar said since May 2015, over 800 women and youths had benefited from trainings in Benue, Kaduna, Borno, Lagos, Rivers and Bauchi states.

She stressed that that the skill acquisition training would be conducted in other states to empower women and youth to be self-reliance.

She explained that the beneficiaries were trained in different skills including, fashion designing, make up, shoe making, computer, bead making, aluminium door fabrication, soap production among others.

Hajia Abubakar said the training is not for only wives and widows of the NAF officers but also women and youth of the host communities would benefit.

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She noted that the empowerment is part of NAFOWA’s effort to strengthen NAF, civil relationship.

She disclosed that the training in Bauchi state will last for 10 weeks.

She said: “One of my key drivers as NAFOWA National President is women, widows and youth empowerment. It’s an idea that was developed into the NAFOWA skill acquisition and vocational Programme which was first held at NAF base Makurdi in Benue state.

“The security challenges in the country and the casualties made NAFOWA to think outside the box in search of area in which it can partner with Nigeria Airforce in bringing succour to some of the victims of the victims in the North Eastern part of the country as well as contribute its own quota to reducing unemployment and underemployment among women and youth especially those living within the environs.

“With the empowerment, women will be fully engaged and take care of the family while the head of the home is away on assignment. We kick start the Programme in Makurdi because the base has a lot of unemployed youth and widows”

Speaking earlier, NAFOWA chairperson, Special Operations Command, Hajia Jamila Isa Kaita, commended the NAFOWA National President for initiating programmes to empower youth and women, saying it would go a long way to alleviate the suffering of unemployed youth, widow and women in the host communities.

Kaita charged the participant to be, punctual committed and focus during the training.