Borno women take to decorative painting

From Miabahu Bashir, Maiduguri 

Dozens of women in Maiduguri, Borno State are learning decorative painting skills to make a living. 

The women are among the participants being trained in decorative painting as well as production of wigs and turbans (headgear) by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Maiduguri. 

Most of the trainees said they were into cap making business before they switched over to decorative painting. 

Batula Hassan Zanna said she abandoned cap making and supply business to decorative painting because it is time consuming and labour intensive. 

“I ventured into the craft of designing, decorating and painting objects to make quick cash because cap making is tiresome and attracts greater bargaining power from consumers. 

“Here you just use the social media marketing strategy with your mobile phone and advertise your products after pricing,” she said. 

Married with children, Aisha Kabiru said she resolved to take painting lessons with the NDE because she wants to build a career in a creative job. She said her cap making craft is no longer profitable as it used to be and that there are a number of self-improved ideas in decorative painting. 

Coordinator NDE, Borno State, Mairo Aliyu Betara said the craft classes offered are meant to improve the employability of participants and tackle poverty. She said at the end of the exercise, the women will be able to develop micro business skills that could earn them money. 

She said the directorate is also training 110 ‘aspiring entrepreneurs’ who will be given certificates, in the end, to look for business loans.