WIC Organizes Skills Acquisition Training, Empowers Most Vulnerable Women In Kaduna

By Nomsu Baba

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: The atmosphere at St. John’s Catholic Church, Pambegua, Kaduna State, was Wednesday, filled with euphoria as the Interfaith Forum of Muslim and Christian Women’s Association a. k. a Women Interfaith Council (WIC), trained and empowered  women on various skills.

WIC incollaboration with the Church,  put smiles and tears of joy on the faces of most vulnerable women in  the Kaduna community and environs.

The beneficiaries cut across the major faiths, were trained in different skills to equip them with the necessary weapons to fight poverty and make them useful to the society.

Speaking, Bishop of Zaria Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Habila Daboh, represented by the Rector, Minor Seminary, Zaria, Rev. Fr. Ibrahim Bazai, thanked God for giving the knowledge to organize such a life changing program for the beneficiaries from different faiths. 

He urged the beneficiaries to make use of both the knowledge and the packs given to them, so as to be able to help themselves and those around them. 

“My advice for them is, let them make good use of what they have given them, the knowledge and also the tools given to them. 

“Let them  use such very well, so that they would be able to help themselves, their families, relations and others. And let them also teach others, because these organizers cannot teach everybody, so this is why they will get few, teach them, and then encourage them to go and teach others.”

In the same vein, the new Executive Director, WIC, Rev.Sr. Paulina Gaiya, OLA, represented by the Chairman, Women Concerns Committee, WIC, Catherine Dam, said that though, being a member, she wasn’t supposed to sing praises for WIC, but they atmosphere witnessed by those present, would sing it better. 

She mentioned that the ground breaking of WIC in the last fifteen years, are highly noticeable. 

She therefore beckoned on the graduands to utilize the starter packs given to them, to start redefining their livelihoods, irrespective of how small they might appear. 

“No matter how little the starter packs are, they will go a long way in alleviating some of their problems.”

“The trades they learned were many, but there’s nothing wrong in them selecting two or three, and work on them assiduously to improve their lives, instead of just hanging and complaining without end.” She said

Similarly, the chief host and Director, Catholic Interreligious Dialogue, Zaria Diocese, Kaduna, Rev. Fr. Habila Meyere in his welcome remarks, , thanked the WIC for making it possible through their sacrifices, to made the day a remarkable one. 

He said that the decision to invite the WIC to help them train the women, was to make the women self reliant and independent in their communities. 

“We decided to organize and train some of our women, most especially the vulnerable who are not independent to be selfish reliance. 

“We invited the Women Interfaith Council, to come and train them and empower them on how to be independent and self reliant, in order to help themselves.”

On the connection between peace building and the empowerment program, Fr. Mayere emphasized that the decision to pick the beneficiaries across the two major religions of the country, was to use the avenue to foster unity. 

“We decided to involve all the women from various religions, most especially Islamic and Christianity, in order to foster our unity, our oneness, our mutual understanding with each other.”

“We decided to involve all the women, irrespective of religion, in order to come together as one. So that, it will foster and enhance our unity and our togetherness.” he added. 

According to him while selecting the beneficiaries, there were false alarm raised by some women for not being selected, but he was able to calm things down by informing them that those selected for this batch were the most vulnerable, cutting across different locations within the jurisdiction. 

He therefore, called on well meaning Nigerians both home and abroad to key into such projects, so as to empower the poor, the widows and all the less privileged in our communities. 

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Similarly, the Muslim Coordinator, WIC,  Hajia Hauwa Usman Magayaki, said that looking at today’s economy, the men alone cannot handle the pressures that come from their families, hence, empowering women becomes a necessity. 

“When you look at economy situation of the country now, many people are suffering, and the men will not be able to take care of the family on their own. 

“But when we train the women, they can assist in maintaining the family, so, that gives us idea to assist the women, to empower them, especially, women and girls.”

She therefore, advised the women to make good use the skills, to maintain themselves. 

The Chief Trainer on both cosmetology and catering, Faith Adams, said that despite the few challenges she faced arising from time, due to the farming season, she felt satisfied, and the women were also in satisfactory mood, due to the success of the 3-day training. 

“I am very grateful for this day, because the women are happy, I am happy, because they gave me maximum cooperation to be able to achieve this feat”. 

A beneficiary , Albaka Patrick, said that their presence was to show immense appreciation for the diverse knowledge they acquired in the course of the training. 

She said that she would utilize every bit of the knowledge gained, to create awareness about the program to those that never knew that something of such happened. 

“I will try my own possible best to make sure that these things we learned here, I will go and make use of them in a way that even people that don’t know that something happened here, they will see it through me; and even some will even learn under me.”

“We are very very grateful for their efforts, they really tried, we thank them, God will really bless them for their efforts.”

Another beneficiary, Hannatu Ayuba, speaking in “Hausa dialect” , said that they called them for training, and they were trained successfully, as such, they will put everything in to use, not just to better themselves, but the country at large, since they will also transfer the skills to others. 

She thanked the organizers, emphasizing that mere  expressions by words were not enough to deliver the thankful messages conveyed by their hearts. 

Also, Fatima Sulaiman, said that they received different skills, which they would not hesitate to immediately put them into practice, beginning with the starter kits they received. 

She expressed her proud gratitude to the trainers, promising that they won’t disappoint them afterwards. 

High points of the events were the distributions of certificates, the starter packs, and cutting of the event’s cake, as well as the buying of all the products made by the beneficiaries, cash donation of ₦20,000 by Rev. Fr. Mayere, among other. 

This event this year with a theme: “Empowering Vulnerable Women and Girls through Skills Acquisition in Cosmotology and Catering; for sustainable Livelihood and Peaceful Coexistence in Pambegua,” saw about 20 women and girls, being trained in cake baking, liquid soap, petroleum jelly, doughnut making, among others. 

It would noted  that WIC has in the past years initiated such trainings in Zaria, Kafannchan, and other places. 

These efforts are aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence between the two major regions in the country, through giving women and girl children future that would make them useful to the societies they live in.