Not fewer than 500 women were on Monday given various empowerment tools and starter packs by the Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, who is the Founder/Initiator of an NGO known as Alhmuhibbah Foundation as a palliative measure to enhance living standards of Women in Bauchi State.
While speaking at the ceremony to mark the distribution of the items held in Alkaleri Local Government Area, Aisha Bala Mohammed said that Almuhibbah Foundation has been carrying out similar empowerment schemes across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
The governor’s wife also said that the project was initiated to empower women and youths, who form a larger part of vulnerable groups in the society stressing that, “societal challenges like poverty and illiteracy can be mitigated through such empowerment schemes.”
While calling on the beneficiaries to utilise the tools to enhance their living standards, the First Lady also appealed to the state government, NGOs, wealthy individuals and corporate bodies to focus more on women and youths empowerment projects in order to check social vices in the society.
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“This appeal has become imperative considering the high rate of unemployment and poverty ravaging our region. This can be achieved through the consistent and diligent implementation of government policies and programmes, especially those policies that borders around poverty alleviation and empowerment,” she said.
Aisha Bala Mohammed also used the occasion to thank the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed for his continued support to Almuhibbah Foundation and its activities saying that the efforts have gone a long way in assisting the Foundation to do what it is doing.
The First Lady had earlier on commissioned her foundation’s office in Alkaleri Town which, according to her, will bring the activities of the Foundation closer to the people of the Area.
In a welcome address, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Alkaleri Local Government Area, Yusuf Garba Alkaleri, commended Almuhibbah Foundation for bringing succour to the less privileged in the society, describing the gesture as a humanitarian.
Items distributed included sewing and knitting machines, pasta making machine as well as cash to serve as complete starter packs for immediate commencement of petty business by the beneficiaries.
One of the beneficiaries, Hauwa Bello, thanked the First Lady and her foundation for the gesture saying that it will go a long way in reducing poverty and unemployment among women in the area.
She further said that with the items and money given to them, they will immediately begin producing and even employee others to work for them assuring the First Lady that they will use the items for what they are meant for.
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