By Leonard Okachie
The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) has empowered 35 women in Abia with vocational training and skills acquisition, to improve their economic status.
Mrs Ebi Emezue, Director, Training and Development at the Centre, disclosed this on Thursday during the closing session of the empowerment programme in Umuahia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four-day training was organised in collaboration with the Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Emezue said the women were trained in areas such as catering and other areas, for them to be able to start their small-scale businesses.
She said the programme was designed to empower vulnerable women so that they can improve their livelihood, in view of the economic situation in the country.
According to her, this particular project is meant for the six geopolitical zones of the federation and we have done it in the North-East and now we are in the South-East.
In her remark, Mrs Blessing Felix, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, expressed gratitude to the centre for organising the empowerment programme for vulnerable women in the state.
“As a Ministry, we believe that women in vulnerable circumstances can be empowered to create a better life for themselves and their families.
“We are always committed to collaborating and supporting programmes aimed at achieving this goal,” she said.
A participant, Mrs Cecilia Adieze, a retiree, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the opportunity to acquire skills.
“I have learnt how to make many dishes, especially the meat pie, and I thank the Federal Government for providing this kind of opportunity for women.
“This is because it would go a long way to improve the livelihood in the family,” she said.
Highpoint of the training was the distribution of deep freezers as starter packs, cash token as well as certificates to participants. (NAN)
