AWACIO

AWACIO has partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Empower 47 Widows in Gombe South, Gombe State. Aids for Women, Adolescent & Children International Organization (AWACIO) a non-profit organization worked in Partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to empower forty- five (47) indigenes, mostly widows in Gombe South, Gombe State. The organization which is set up to empower women, children, adolescents, and the vulnerable groups in the society is committed to providing widows the skills that will enable them live healthy and economically independent lives. The passion for widows according to the organization emerges from the prevalent practice in Nigeria, where widows are most often neglected, abused and maltreated after the demise of their husbands. The end game is to prevent them from falling into poverty, and to enable the eradication of poverty in Nigeria. To meet the goal of AWACIO and to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs) on poverty eradication AWACIO and CBN held this empowerment program in Gombe South, Gombe State. The Widows were trained on the following skills; Tailoring, Hair Dressing, Soap Making, Pastry and catering and seed grinding.
The program held in Kaltungo Local Government of Gombe South, Gombe State comprised of 47 widows in five (5) skills. The program was conducted in a period of one (1) month with extension of two months for tailoring skill trainees. At the graduation ceremony which lasted about two hours, held at the Kaltungo Mini Stadium, the wife of the Deputy Governor of CBN, Mrs. Asabe Adamu, opened the occasion by welcoming the trainees and encouraging them to be diligent in using the newly acquired skills to enhance their economic wellbeing. She congratulated them on going through the program successfully. Following her speech, the CEO of AWACIO, Dr. Claudia Okeke, introduced the program and the graduates. In her remark, she thanked the CBN for the sponsorship of the program, and stated that this effort has allowed the nation to be in line with the Sustainable development goal (SDG). “This opportunity has allowed AWACIO to meet the SDG objective on poverty reduction.” She said. “It is our hope that the successful candidates use their skills to enhance their lives and those in the community” she added. She stated that the beauty of skill acquisition is that the trained can in turn train others whether relatives or others and pass the information on to create a more enhanced economic community. In her speech, she assured the graduates and the CBN officials present that AWACIO will immediately begin a one-year monitoring and evaluation program to ensure that the trainees are using their skills and making money. She cited some past of AWACIO’s empowerment programs where the trainees were earning 45,000 naira a week, some 20,000 naira, and some 5,000 naira depending on the type of skill. She congratulated the graduates and wished them a successful career ahead.
Following her presentation, the CBN official, Alhaji A. B Ahmed, Deputy Director in CBN Corporate Service Office, made a speech on behalf of the Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, CBN. He stated that CBN has a mandate to manage the nation’s economy by creating wealth and eradicating poverty through “Touching Lives Initiative” which is an initiative of the Bank that offers practical relief, succor, hope, opportunities, and credible platforms to liberate and empower the under privileged, dis-advantaged, and hard to reach persons in our society. The ultimate aim is poverty reduction. He advised the beneficiaries to utilize the knowledge gained through the skill acquisition to improve their lives and families, and become economically impactful on their immediate communities. “In fact, it is expected that project have a positive ripple effect on the entire Gombe State because each beneficiary of this starter packs is expected to employ or partner with others.” he added. He urged AWACIO to continually monitor the progress of the beneficiaries to ensure that the program achieves the main aim which is to positively impact on individuals, their communities and the country at large.
The graduation ceremony was made colorful by dances performed by the beneficiaries in their graduation t-shirts and caps followed by the award of certificates to all beneficiaries presented by Mrs. Adamu, CBN representatives, and local government chairmen and representatives. To mark the occasion was a raffle drawing for a brand-new generator to which an invited guest from one of the participants won as a result of the ticket picked by Mrs. Asabe Adamu.
The dignitaries inspected the tents that displayed the starter packs and exhibits of products made by beneficiaries during their training. These ranged from clothes they made, seeds that were ground, hair weaves they made, soap and air-freshers, and all manner of pastries including cakes, chin-chin, and more. A vote of thanks was made by a royal father in attendance, and the event ended with beneficiaries collecting their starter packs immediately after group photographs were taken.