Business
Anambra To Empower Rural Women With Skills
The Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Henrietta Agbata, has announced the state government’s plans to train rural women in various skills.
Agbata told newsmen in Awka on Monday that the women would be drawn from the 177 communities in the state to improve their livelihood.
She said the action was part of the government’s economic empowerment programme to encourage women in rural areas to be self-reliant and financially independent.
She said that women, especially those with little or no education, would be encouraged to get one skill or the other.
The commissioner said that at the end of the training, the government would provide the participants with financial assistance and equipment for their skill.
Agbata said the women would be trained on sewing as well as soap and bead making.
“Our ministry gives N5,000 each to the rural women to support their trade annually and N10,000 to the best in each community as incentive for hard work.
“We intend to extend the programme by training the women in new skills different from the one they learnt earlier. We hope that this new program will bring succour to them as well as discourage idleness,’’ she said.
The commissioner said the programme would also accommodate young girls who indicated interest.
She said that selection would be done by the women leaders in the communities to ensure transparency and fairness.