The Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), has activated women groups in Nasaru, Gadar Maiwa, Bajar, Bagel, and Dott communities of Dass and Ningi local government areas of Bauchi state aimed at creating awareness and strengthening women for active leadership participation.
Fauziya Idris, Women Voice and Leadership program officer of the Organization says “this activity is aimed at identifying, mapping and registering women groups in Ningi and Dass LGAs with the view to support the women work together to address their common problems”.
Fauziya who said FOMWAN with support from Global Affairs Canada through ActionAid Nigeria has contributed in bringing the women together which hitherto the commencement of the project were laying fallow and were operating individually.
“Before this program, the women have confirmed to us that they were conducting their activities individually, they lack platform to come together to discuss and fashion out solutions to their individual and collective problems.
“So the formation of these groups is an opportunity for them to scale up local business through small micro credit lending opportunities where they empower one another, drawing lessons from the popular WORTH model”, Fauziya had said.
She said although the program is just starting, it’s impact is already glaring; “I can tell you that the women were living and operating independently without any form of solidarity, but the formation of these groups have empowered them to think and operate in groups where they help one another in many different ways”, she added.
Also speaking, the village head of Bajar, Ciroman Bajar thanked FOMWAN for the intervention saying, “it has helped our women regroup and do things together, which was not the case prior to this intervention”.
Commenting on the formation of the groups, a beneficiary, Jamila abubakar of Gadar Maiwa community said the creation of the women group was an opportunity for her to revisit her old trade which she abandons many years ago due to lack of capital.
“I was baking local bean cake, I have to abandon the trade because at a point, I lack capital to continue the business, but now with the formation of this group, we shall activate the WORTH model and empower ourselves with capital to do businesses”, she emphatically said.
Iklima Dahiru from Nasaru community said “this is initiative is commendable, we thanked all the stakeholders that thought of this program, this is another opportunity for women in this community to get out of poverty and regain their voices”, she said.
The programme tagged ‘Women Voices and Leadership is a global affairs Canada funded project through ActionAid Nigeria that targets local women in nine Nigerian states including Bauchi state.
