BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
NEEM Foundation, with support from Ambassade De France AU Nigeria, has launched an empowerment programme for 250 women who are survivors of different forms of violence in Sokoto State, northwest Nigeria.
The programme, which includes Vocational skills and Entrepreneurship trainings as well as mental and psycho-social support, is aimed at helping survivors overcome their trauma and become self reliant.
Giving insights into the programme, NEEM Foundation’s Senior Programme Officer, Gender, Education and Social Cohesion, Ms. Minoe Duamwan said fear of stigma is why most survivors prefer to keep quite.
Minoe, who assured that survivors will be empowered economically through vocational and financial literary in the training, further assured that, “when women are empowered, the society at large is empowered.”
While noting that the 250 survivors will be given mental and psycho-social support in addition to the training, Minoe pleaded with the benefiting survivors to step down the training in their respective communities so that others can benefit.
She also appealed to the State government to take ownership of the programme, adding that donors will come and go, but the survivors will remain with them.
“The entire programme is going to last for ten (10) months. We will therefore use six months as training and use the remaining months for assessment and evaluation of the programme.
“One of our sustainability plans is engaging the State government for them to take ownership to ensure continuity even after donors have left,” Ms. Minoe stressed.
Earlier in her opening remarks, Sokoto State Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Barrister Aisha Dantsoho, noted that the ministry has been partnering with NEEM Foundation to better the lives of women and girls in Sokoto.
Dantsoho, who confessed that the State has recorded over 1000 reported cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV), added that NEEM Foundation’s Second Chance education programme has made very significant impact on the lives of several survivors in Sokoto.
“Building every woman’s capacity is one of the surest ways of ending GBV. And survivors of GBV are our concerns and we are ready to give them shoulders to stand on to be good ambassadors and enjoy normal lives afterwards,” Aisha Dantsoho pledged.
In a goodwill message, the Deputy Director, International Cooperation of the Sokoto State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Aminu Halilu Modachi, pledged the State’s readiness to always work with development partners towards the betterment of the people of the state.
On his part, Mr. ThankGod Ocheho, the Head of Psychology and Training Department of NEEM Foundation said mental and psycho-social support for survivors helps them overcome possible traumas that could lead to depression.
