[Attachment(s) from dayo emmanuel included below] NGO empowers Shuwa Arab Women in Lagos.
(Dayo Emmanuel in Lagos)
A Lagos based non governmental organization; Shuwa Arab Development Initiatives (SADI) has organized a skill acquisition and vocational training to empower women in the Shuwa Arab community in Lagos.
The empowerment program which has the aim of liberating women from poverty was an opportunity for the women to learn vocational skills in soap making, baking, candle making among other house hold materials.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, President of the organization, Ms Amina Hassan enjoined the women to look beyond being dependants and be focused on opportunities that can help them contribute to their family income. "I want you to know that you are the linchpins of your family and of your communities and with these skills you can help build a better world for all." she encouraged the participants.
Hassan, an indigene of Borno State and a graduate of Mass Communication from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, established SADI in 2005 with the aim of
being a leading light and beacon of hope for the marginalized women and children in our immediate society. Hassan continued that "The minority Shuwa Arab community in Lagos was specifically targeted for this workshop as historically, they have been one of the most backward, poor and marginalized communities in Nigeria".
Speaking further, she said the organization has a literacy class for women and adolescent girls who are products of child marriage. "Many girls were married off early because of the widely held belief that the longer a girl is unmarried, the higher the risk of her being promiscuous".
Amina who narrowly escaped child marriage says the girls who go through such harmful cultural practices against their wish come out of such marriages with no education and no skill; their lives are reduced to that of dependence and promiscuity. Lamenting their plight, she says "It is a tragedy to have girls of school age married off to satiate some inconsiderate person's lust. By emphasizing and showing parents the benefits of girls' education, we are indirectly telling them not to marry off their daughters early".
Among the other areas of focus include: periodic health awareness campaigns to this group who are at high risk of the HIV and STI infections. Care and support for orphans and vulnerable children, empowerment of disadvantaged women through micro-credit and skill training programs.
At the end of the training, about 20 women in four groups of five learnt soap making, baking and production of other house hold daily use products. An elated participant, Maimuna Saleh said "I thank SADI for bringing this opportunity, now I can make soap and don't need to buy as I will even make for sale have money to help my family".
On her own part, Fatima Mohammed was glad about the knowledge she acquired from the training especially in the production of antiseptic. "I wish more women turned up for this training, it will help us reduce germ infections among the children", said the mother of four who spoke in the local dialect.
One of the main facilitators Mrs. Bridget Austin observed that the women were attentive in the various sessions and therefore enjoined the government and more women oriented organizations to repeat such training. "The turn out was good for a start for a program like this, I wish SADI could get sponsorship for to reach more women who are basically house wives with free trainings to minimize economic vulnerability. Government and other women oriented NGOs should embrace trainings like this to empower women and eradicate poverty", she said.
SADI however plans to organize more skill acquisition programs for women in the community, calling on the government, well meaning Nigerians and relevant donor agencies for assistance for women in the rural areas and minority groups in training and provision of soft loans for easy take off after training.
Numbering about a million people in Nigeria and natives of Borno State, north eastern part of the country, the Shuwa Arabs are the Nigerian version of the main Arabic speaking people. A large number have found homes in Lagos, Nigeria's economic nerve centre where they are main importers of cattle to support the beef industry in the city and environs.
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