Group Empowers Vulnerable Women On Vocational Skills In Kogi

The South East Yagba Development Association Women wing (SEYDAW), a socio-cultural group says it has trained and empowered over 27 vulnerable women on vocational skills.

Ebunlomo Joel, SEYDAW’s National President and Women Leader made the disclosure at the SEYDAW’s Day and Fund Raising For Women and girl-child empowerment projects in Igbagun, Yagba, Kogi.

Joel said the women were selected from across 14 communities in the Yagba East Local Governments Area (LGA) of the state.

According to her, SEYDAW is a socio-cultural association with over 500 active members working to promote unity, oneness, development, and progress amongst womenfolk of the district.

She said that the association was in support of self-help programmes through skills acquisition training and self-help projects to reduce poverty amongst the girl-child and the women in general.

She explained that the association had established women and youths development center where 27 people had been trained in three vocations which are – soap making; bedspread, duvet and throw pillows, and catering services.

The SEDAW leader said that at the end of the training, the beneficiaries were empowered with start-up interest-free loans depending on their various vocations.

”A sum of N330,000 cash is given as revolving loan and seven sewing machines worth N378,000 are also distributed to trainees,'” Joel said.

She said that the association had also established a multipurpose corporative society where members were benefitting, and traders’ support loans given to assist petty traders to boost their businesses.

She noted that 38 people had benefitted from the scheme while appreciating everyone who had contributed to support the association.

The woman leader appealed to governments at all levels for adequate protection of the people from crimes and criminal tendencies across the state.

In his remarks, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, Chairman, South East Yagba Development Association (SEYDA) commended SEYDAW for ensuring that women were no longer sidelined to the background of the development trajectory.

Enikanolaiye congratulated the association on the empowerment, training, capacity building, mass mobilization, and visibility of women and girls of the communities.

The ambassador stressed that SEYDAW had clearly demonstrated that the womenfolk were fully prepared to serve as veritable partners for the promotion of sustainable development, unity, peace, and progress of the people.

Also, the Grand Patron of SEYDAW/SEYDA, Chief Sunmonu Asani, commended the associations for impacting positive things on the people through empowerment, love, unity, peace, and progress.

Among dignitaries at the events was Hon. Musa Omiata, member representing Yagba East in Kogi Assembly.

SEYDAW had in 2019, donated books and instructional materials including, 55 Magnetic writing boards with its accessories to schools.

The association maiden edition was held in 2018 in Oranre, and in June in 2019, but the event could not hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.