NGO empowers 5,000 rural women

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January 16, 2018 3:53 PM

Mrs Bukola Onyishi, the Country Director of the NGO, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Tuesday

The Women for Women International, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has empowered no fewer than 5,000 rural women in four Local Government Areas of Plateau.

Mrs Bukola Onyishi, the Country Director of the NGO, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Tuesday.

Onyishi said the beneficiaries of its social and economic empowerment programmes were the less privileged women from Mangu, Pankshin, Riyom, Jos-East and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas.

“Our programme is holistic; we provide a platform for marginalised women, who live in conflict and post conflict communities.

“Our organisation creates platform for women to learn about health practices and nutrition, their fundamental human rights, family and community decision making.

“We also support women to earn and save money; we train them on business management basics, bookkeeping, group and cooperative management and numeracy.

“This is because most of them are illiterates and numeracy is important as it is required for their book keeping records,” Onyishi said.

According to her, the women, who are currently in our programmes are from age 18 to 50; they are given monthly stipend during the period of their training.

“Some of them support their families and establish a source of livelihood with it before they conclude their programmes’’.

Onyishi said the organisation, whose headquarters is in the United States, would expand its scope to other communities in Plateau, having opened a new office in Bauchi State already.

She added that the programmes would have multiplier effects on the society by giving assistance in homes with a view to reducing crime rates.

NAN reports that the organisation was established in 2003 to create opportunities that would positively affect the lives of marginalised women in conflict and post conflict societies.

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