As part of its mandate to train and empower women as well as reduce the rate of unemployment in the country, the Nuhu Fatimoh Foundation on Saturday, trained selected community women from Ilorin West and Asa local government areas of Kwara in the art of tie and die designs.
The NUFAT foundation Training and Empowerment, held at its Ilorin office, was part of the ongoing Women Voice and Leadership , WVL Project, with support from Global Affairs Canada and ActionAid.
Speaking at the event, a former Commissioner in Kwara State and one time Member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Ramat Adesina-Abaya, said the empowerment will make the women financially independent and able to support their spouses.
She also disregarded the assertion that women who participate in politics are wayward, just as she argued that experience has shown that women have helped to sanitize the system hugely and performed in political offices beyond expectation.
While frowning at the unending culture of relegating the women to the background despite their ability and political strength, Hajia Abaya said the time has come for women to actively participate in politics not just to vote, but to equally be voted for.
Hajia Salmat Iyabode Mohammed noted that the entrepreneurship training will help reduce poverty in the community as the training will be replicated by the participants at their various communities.
She commended NUFAT Foundation for the initiative that thought beyond giving women fish but teaching them how to fish.
“This tie and die is just one of the craft to be learnt. Many others are to be trained in tailoring and even farming,” she said.
Also speaking, Hajia Nimat Labaika said it is significant especially for women who are not able to acquire academic qualifications due to one reason or the other.
Labaika noted that the empowerment will not only make the women financially capable, but also supportive to their husbands and also boost the economic situation in the country.
Former Kwara State Commissioner and CEO, NUFAT Foundation, Dr Ashiat Ayinke Saka, said the vision behind the empowerment is to enhance the women’s financial status, in a way that makes them less dependent and financial capable in pursuit of their political ambition.
“Yes, we are asking them to be active in politics, to contest for political offices, but one of the challenges has always been how to raise fund to pursue the aspiration.
This empowerment will at least serve as a source of income for them. The days of totally depending on men is over,” she said.
The NGO had earlier embarked on a sensitization tour to Queens School, Ilorin to educate the female students on the need to get politically active, participate and pursue their political ambitions right from their teenage age as young girls.
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