CDD Trains 100 Katsina Women, Youth Affected by Banditry on Entrepreneurial Skills

Francis Sardauna in Katsina 

In a bid to accelerate the economic inclusion of women and youth affected by banditry in Katsina State, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has trained 100 women and youths on viable entrepreneurial and agricultural skills in the state.

The beneficiaries, selected across communities affected by the nefarious activities of bandits in Batsari, Jibia, Kankara and Danmusa Local Governments, were trained on tailoring, tie and dye, carpentry, agriculture, shoe making, welding and fabrication.

The livelihoods intervention, tagged: ‘Empowering Communities through Practical Skills: Building Resilience and Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods for Youth and Women in Batsari, Danmusa, Jibia and Kankara’, was carried out under the CDD’s Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation in North West Nigeria (CMCR) project.

The CMCR project, funded by the European Union (EU), is being implemented in the four-banditry affected local governments of the state with support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Mercy Corps.

Speaking during the training, the CDD’s Programme Manager of the CMCR project, Kolawole Ogunbiyi, said the trainees would be supported with sewing machines, salon equipment, irrigation farming equipment, livestocks and welding machines to liberate them from the shackles of poverty.

He reiterated that the 100 trainees were selected for the entrepreneurial skills training because they needed livelihood support that will bring their creativity to bear in order to make them self-reliant and financially independent.

Ogunbiyi said: “We identified 100 persons who need livelihood support across the four LGAs of Batsari, Jibia, Danmusa and Kankara that we are working with in Katsina to give them the entrepreneurial skills that will enhance and bring their creativity to bear.

“We are also empowering them with sewing machines, salon equipment, livestock, irrigation farming equipment, welding machines, among others to boost their creativity and make them financially independent.”

One of the participants, Yusurat Abubakar, said the training acquainted her with the necessary requisite tailoring skills that will make her “self-reliant”.