In response to the increasing threat of violent extremism across Nigeria, the Institute of Governance and Social Research (IGSR), Jos organized a three-month skill Acquisition and Economic Empowerment Programme for 120 vulnerable women drawn from the Central Senatorial Zone of Plateau State.
The programme was sponsored by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) as part of the project titled: Youth and Peaceful Coexistence in Community: The Plateau Case (Round II). The programme was designed to empower the vulnerable women between the ages of 35 to 55 from various ethnic and religious backgrounds in Mangu, Bokkos, Pankshin, Kanam and Kanke LGAs with skills with the view to build stronger communities less susceptible to radicalisation and violent extremism. At the end of the training, successful trainees will be provided with start-up grants to enable them to develop themselves further or establish their own businesses with skills learnt in trades of their choice such as tailoring, jewellery making, knitting, and poultry farming amongst others across the 5 LGAs.
Following the successful conclusion of the Skill Acquisition programme, IGSR further organized a one day Basic Business Training (BBT) for the beneficiaries at the PankshinYouth Centre on the 3rd of February 2021. The programme was intended to equip these vulnerable women with basic business skills, thereby improving their livelihood and making them less susceptible to violent extremism.
The women were trained in Basic Business Skills to enable them to develop and grow their newly acquired trades into prospective businesses. Skilled resource persons from different professional backgrounds such as Mr Haggai Gutap (Director General Plateau State Microfinance Development Agency), Haj.FatimaAliyu,(lecturer College of Administration, Management and Technology, Potiskum Yobe State.) and Mr Y.S Maisamari(Businessman)were invited as resource persons to train the women on selected business areas which include Business and Its Environment, Book Keeping for New Business Starters and Co-Operative and Fund Sourcing. The training was well received by the women who expressed their gratitude to the organisers and sponsors of the programme.
The BBT Program was chaired by a former State Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment Mr Mark Mato who commended IGSR and its sponsors for training and empowering vulnerable women in the northern senatorial zone of Plateau State at a time where it is most needed. In the comments by the Senior Programme officer (IGSR), he also commended the commitment of the women throughout the training and stated that unfortunately, following the skill acquisition assessment, only 114 of the 120 participants across the 5 LGAs successfully qualified for the grant.
At the end of the training, participants from Kanam, Kanke, Bokkos, Pankshin and Mangu LGAs were equipped with the skills and knowledge to improve their economic and social status as well as become active contributors to the development of their communities through the application of the trades learned.
