An NGO, Bridge that Gap Initiative, on Monday, commissioned a skills acquisition centre for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Rimau, a community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
Commissioning the centre, Gloria Bulus, Executive Director of the NGO, said the hub was established to empower IDPs.
The centre is expected to equip women in the community with sewing skills, climate smart agriculture techniques, soap and pomade-making among others. 200 households are expected to benefit indirectly from the centre as soon as the centre is unveiled.
“These IDPs have lost their sources of livelihood as a result of the conflicts which have adversely affected their daily economic activities. So a large percentage of women are idle, losing valuable and productive time. These events have also made the women over-dependent on the male head of the family, while households headed by widowed women due to the unrest become over-burdened”.
She said the project will create a skills workspace for women in the community considering the economic vulnerability, which has increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic breaking the economic chain of most women in the informal sector.
“The hub would provide an alternative source of livelihood since the primary source has been altered due to the conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Bulus said the project will be handed over to the community to help sustain it, this according to her, would give the women the opportunity to transfer the knowledge to their children and relatives as a way of giving back to the community.
Our aim is to ensure that 30 women, who are starting the project become professionals to train others while the NGO just provides technical support. “With this project, we aim to boost livelihoods to cushion the impact that has heavily dealt with not just the IDPs who have found Rimau as a haven, but the entire community as well.” She said the project was supported by the World Connect, based in the U.S.
We accelerate the fight against poverty through integrated interventions that ensure equitable access to opportunities, and minimizing losses of livelihoods to the most vulnerable in the society.
“On behalf of our donors, partners, and my entire team I wish to express my appreciation to the family of the Late Agwom Adara, ruler of the Adara people in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state, for providing this space for the hub, and the good people of Rimau community for embracing this project.” She added.
In her remarks, Victoria Galadima, wife of late Agwom, expressed her gratitude to the NGO for the opportunity given to the community to improve their livlihood.
“Thank you so much for opening the way for our people, we expect our people to work towards achieving the goals of this project”.
Earlier in his remark, District Head of Kufana, Chief Titus Dauda, commended the NGO for their support.”We will continue to support and ensure that this project is secured to achieve all its goals”.
