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From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Zaki’s Gem Foundation and ActionAid Nigeria(AAN) has trained no fewer than 390 students on different skills acquisition to make them self reliance as part of
Women’s Voice and Leadership agenda in Nigeria.
The benefiting students were drawn from different secondary schools across the state and they were trained on tailoring, snacks-making, shoe-making, soap-making and beads-making among others.
While speaking at the graduation ceremony held in Birnin Kebbi,to commensurate with the 2023 World Youth Skills Day, the wife of Kebbi State Governor , Hajiya Zainab Nasir-Idris commended the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Zaki’s Gem foundation for her frantic efforts in gender equality and women empowerment.
The Governor’s wife, who was represented by Hajiya A’isha Maikurata, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, promised to provide start-up capital to the graduating students through the ministry.
She encouraged them to practice what they have learnt and also teach others so that, women in the society could be above poverty level.
In her remark, representative of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), Mrs. Noro Bature, a representative of ActionAid Nigeria, said the organisation are working with over 130 women organisations across the country in areas related to women empowerment and leadership role of women.
Bature, who is the Project Coordinator, North, Women’s Voice and Leadership, Nigeria (WVL-N) under ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) said the programmes were being sponsored by the Global Affairs, Canada, parterning with 15 NGOs in Kebbi including Zaki’s Gem Foundation and different community-baser organisations.
She said so far, ActionAid Nigeria had been able to reach out to 35,000 girls and women across Kebbi.
In her speech, the Chief Executive Officer, Zaki’s Gem Foundation, Dr Nafisa Abubakar-Zaki recalled that the NGO, which was established in 2003 had touched the lives of many vulnerable women and girls across Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States.
She appealed for financial support and assistance from government to enable the foundation extend its Humanitarian services to the larger society.
The CEO charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the skills acquired for their own good and the society at large.
Dr Aminu Haliru-Bunza, the foundation’s Board of Trustees Health Advisor, counseled the youth on the need to shun drug abuse and engage in something that would transform their lives.
Haliru-Bunza, who is also the Adviser to the governor on Health, advised parents to encourage their children to learn skills alongside acquiring education, observing that government jobs were not easily accessible.
