At least 400 women and youths drawn from 12 communities of four local government areas of Benue State have been equipped with relevant information about village saving and loan association matters.
Our correspondent reports that the exercise was organised by Community Links and Human Empowerment Initiative (CLHEI) for targeted LGAs affected by conflicts.
Executive Director of CLHEI, Dr. Helen Teghtegh, said the sensitisation for the training on the village saving and loan association is part of the UNDP Support for Social Stability and Security of the conflict-affected communities in North East and Middle Belt of Nigeria.
She explained that the project, funded by the government of Japan, is aimed at supporting early recovery and peacebuilding in the conflict-affected communities of Agatu, Buruku, Guma and Kwande LGAs of the state.
Teghtegh said that the expected outcome for the village savings and loan association training would improve the livelihood and economic opportunities of the affected people in the target communities to strengthen their resilience against future vulnerabilities.
The idea was muted following the perennial violent farmer-herder conflicts in parts of the state in the past five years leading to the growing insecurity that has forced over 1.5 million persons to live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and host communities across the state.
