Vice President Kashim Shettima will be in Katsina State this Sunday to launch a financial empowerment programme targeting over 57,000 local women.
The program, called the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), is projected to provide funds to 57,432 women across Daura and Funtua local government areas, to help them build businesses, support their households, and help them escape poverty.
Dawn Herald gathered that beneficiaries selected for the program will join community clusters known as Women Affinity Groups. Through these groups, they will learn how to save money, access business loans, and connect their local trades to bigger markets, and learn how to sustain their businesses despite economic and climate challenges.
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government, has already released over ₦8.5 billion in counterpart funding to ensure the programme eventually expands from its initial phase to all 34 local government areas in the state. The state government plans to expand the project to reach nearly 800,000 women in a long run.
Aisha Aminu Malumfashi, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, described the launch as a shift for local enterprise, adding that community support structures will push more women into the active economy.
Michael Ilesanmi, a senior specialist at the World Bank and the project’s task team leader, confirmed that the programme is highly inclusive. He noted that any eligible woman aged 18 and older can join, specifically encouraging persons with disabilities to participate.
The program aims to foster financial inclusion and boost the grassroots economy of the region, by equipping vulnerable women with enterprise skills and capital.
Leave a comment