NGO empowers 21,319 women in Kaduna

A Kaduna-based non-governmental organisation, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI), says it has empowered 21,319 women and girls in Kaduna State from 2008 to 2018.

EWEI’s founder and Programme Director, Mrs Safiya Garba, made this known in Kaduna during the NGO’s 10th annual general meeting and 11th year anniversary.

She said the women and girls were empowered financially, educationally, politically, socially and culturally to effectively exploit their potentials, live quality lives and contribute to national development.

She said the beneficiaries were reached through EWEI’s Civic Education and Participation for Women Project (CEPWOP), Educational Subsidy Programme (ESP), Economic Empowerment Partnerships (EEP), Getting Involved (GI) and Know and Say No (KSN).

“For example, to address the under-representation of women and excluded groups in the political space, give them a voice and encourage participatory governance, EWEI’s CEPWOP has empowered 2,584 beneficiaries.

“To support girl child education, EWEI’s ESP supported 23 beneficiaries within the period.

“Also, to address the appalling levels of poverty in the state, EWEI’S EEP has empowered 67 women and girls through capacity building and how to source micro-credit,” she said.

The programme manager also said that EWEI, through its GI programme, mobilised 3,373 girls and women to play active roles in the Millennium Development Goals and the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).

“This programme has been transformed to focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We are all here today not only to celebrate these achievements but to listen and hear your thoughts about what we can do and how we do it to achieve better results,” Safiya said.

Mrs Elizabeth David, the Deputy Director, Female Education, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, said the state government has put all necessary policies in place to encourage girl child education. (NAN)