Foundation empowers women, donates academic materials to FCT community

The Arise Women Foundation says it will organise skills acquisition programme for women in rural communities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other states in the country. It also plans to partner with the wife of Kebbi State governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, to empower rural women in farming and other means of livelihood. […]

The Arise Women Foundation says it will organise skills acquisition programme for women in rural communities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other states in the country.

It also plans to partner with the wife of Kebbi State governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, to empower rural women in farming and other means of livelihood.

The foundation made this known during the commissioning of a skills acquisition centre and medical outreach in Dafara, Kuje Area Council and Kabusa in Abuja Municipal recently.

It also donated boreholes, bags of rice, toiletries, and academic materials to pupils in primary schools in the areas through its ‘Back to School’ project.

Dr Zainab, who pledged to partner with the foundation with lands for the farming empowerment programme in Kebbi State, said it has always been her desire to replicate the Lagos empowerment programme of the foundation in Abuja in order to touch the lives of women in rural areas, who have largest percentage of rural dwellers.

“It is always important to empower them; it is important that we keep them healthy. When you empower our women, you are likely to have a happier family and healthy children. She will send her children to school; healthy children will build a healthier nation and of course we would have a more developed nation,” she said.

The convener of Arise Women Foundation, Pastor Siju Iluyomade, said she resources should be invested in the rural areas to improve the living conditions of the people.

“For speedy development of any nation, the village is the first focus. Are the people at the grassroots not entitled to a good life? I am saying as a lawyer that we are all entitled to a good life,” she said.

“We want women to arise and shine and flourish. That is why we are taking care of their health and teaching them skills to make money,” she added.

Dr Ezinne Onyemere, who is a medical consultant to the foundation, said about 1000 persons were provided free medicare in Kabusa for malaria, skin diseases and high blood pressure, while children received treatment for malnourishment and diarrhoea, adding that an emergency case of Hepatitis B was detected from a patient and referred to the hospital.

In his response, the Chief of Dafara community, Zaphania Jezhi, expressed appreciation to the foundation for providing skills for alternative means for livelihood for women and youth in the community.