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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The atmosphere inside the conference hall in Zaria, Kaduna State, was electric, with 1,000 women beneficiaries dancing with unrestrained joy, celebrating a life-changing milestone after six intense months of skills acquisition and vertical sack farming training, sponsored by the Jennifer Etu Foundation.
For the women drawn from Zaria and Makarfi local government areas of Kaduna State, December 2, 2025, was not just a graduation ceremony; it was the beginning of a new economic chapter; one where they could finally stand tall, confident and financially independent.
They were given certificates of participation for the six months’ training, even as all of them went home with starter packs.
“We learned, we cried, we conquered,” the beneficiaries said.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Mrs. Ladi Thomas struggled to contain her emotions as her voice trembled from both gratitude and relief: “We are so happy today; words cannot even express it. We appreciate the foundation for what they’ve done”.
She recalled the challenges the women faced, like long daily treks to the training centre, plants washed away by heavy rains, rats and insects destroying weeks of work and starting over again and again.
Through it all, she noted, the foundation never abandoned them. “When insects attacked our crops, they provided insecticides. They gave us different edible plants such as carrots, cucumbers, pepper, even yam, for sack farming. Despite all obstacles, they encouraged us until we succeeded. We are very grateful.”
The pride in the room was unmistakable as many of the women displayed their fresh produce, a proof of resilience and the transformative power of opportunity.
Programme manager of the Jennifer Etu Foundation, Mr. Joseph Otu, explained the broader vision behind the initiative. “We’re working under the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) project, with support from Bayer Foundation. Kaduna is the pilot state, and this is the third set of LGAs we’re reaching,” he said.
One woman is trained in vertical sack farming, while a member of her household receives vocational training in skills like catering, tailoring, shoemaking, bag making and cosmetology.
“So if Nafisa is trained in sack farming and her sister Amina in tailoring, the entire family benefits from increased income. Empower a woman, and you empower the community and eventually, the nation,” Otu said.
He added that the foundation will continue to monitor and support the women as they put their new skills to use.
“What we expect is multiplication. We want them to support their homes, train others and replicate this impact in their communities,” he added.
Otu also revealed that the foundation is expanding its reach into health interventions. “In two weeks, we will conduct a free medical outreach for over 3,000 people. Surgeries, eye care, general consultations, pharmaceutical support, we’re stepping in where help is needed most. Government can do a lot, but we are here to complement those efforts.”
Project supervisor, Etimbuk Adebayo Chike, shed more light on the WEE strategy, saying: “The project merges agriculture and healthcare because healthy farmers yield more. When women earn more, they can access better healthcare, which in turn strengthens their productivity. It’s a sustainable loop.
“This year alone, 600 women were trained in vertical sack farming and 400 in vocational skills, impacting at least 400 households directly. The project previously covered Kaura and Jema’a LGAs and will move into new areas in 2026.”
In his goodwill message, Yahaya Andrew Demian, centre manager at Community Skills Development Centre (COSDEC), Sabon Gari, Zaria, urged the women to embrace their new capabilities boldly.
“Your skills are your superpower. Whether tailoring, catering, shoemaking or sack farming, you can succeed from this point. Nigeria needs skilled professionals like you to create jobs and build a brighter future,”Demian said.
As the women continued to dance, laugh and exchange stories of triumph, one thing was clear: these were not the same women who walked into the programme six months ago. These are women who have fought difficulties, learned, endured and emerged stronger, armed with new skills, hope and a powerful sense of dignity.
For the Jennifer Etu Foundation, this is only the beginning. For the women, it is the dawn of a future they can now shape with their own hands.
