25,000 Women benefit from N1.5b World Bank grants in Kebbi

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

No fewer than 25,000 women have benefitted from Nigeria for Women Projects of N1.5b World Bank intervention grants in Kebbi State, an initiative aimed at improving the livelihoods of women in targeted areas of the country.

This was disclosed yesterday, by the project’s coordinator and while addressing journalists in a press conference organised at Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

The Kebbi State Deputy Governor who is also the Chairman State Steering Committee Col. Samaila Yombe Dabai, (Rtd) said that the projects are a flagship project of the Federal Government of Nigeria, which was implemented through the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs with support from the world Bank with the objective of improving the livelihoods of women in targeted area of Nigeria.

He explained that the Nigeria for Women Projects has used community-based approaches of women affinity Group (WAGS) as a platform for layering support and show that these platforms can be a foundation for women economic empowerment.

“You see women have shown ownership of the project as the process is seamless and provides a platform for social networking, easy interest free loans that they can easily fall back to in times of need thereby ensuring community-based sustainability”, he said.

Yombe, who also stated that the Government has also ensured that economically active women from Arugungu, Ngaski and Maiyama who are within the age of 18 and above are being mobilized into WAGs.

“They are being taught community-based saving, financial education, business, gender and overall standard of living”, he added.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aishatu Maikurata thanked the Kebbi State Governor for the support.

She said that with the advent of the project in Kebbi State, over 25,000 women have so far benefited from savings and credit, training on financial education as well as business and life skills that have helped them improve their business and increase income.