By Justina Auta
A UNWomen and the Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASHWAN) have began empowerment initiative for women living with HIV.
Both organisations also extended the gesture to other vulnerable groups, empowering them with life skills and start-up packs to enhance their economic independence.
During a two-day training on Friday in Abuja, Mrs Helen Akpan, Assistant National Secretary, ASWHAN, said that the exercise would alleviate the current hardship faced by members and provide them with source of livelihood.
“We are training women living with HIV and other vulnerable women with skills acquisition for sustainability and to alleviate poverty.
“This will help in sustaining household livelihood for these women and their children, especially amidst the dwindling economy, which has overwhelmed a lot of people’s financial capacity.
“There is a need for them to have skills and economic empowerment, which will take care of their nutrition, drugs and other hospital services required,” she said.
According to her, 50 FCT women will be trained on poultry farming, ice block business and others.
She said that start-up packs and other equipments would be given to them to facilitate the training they acquired.
She added that the women would also be grouped into clusters to form a cooperative, which will enable them access loans and other services that would make them more financially independent.
“This is going to be extended to other states because we want to change the narratives for our members regarding depending on others.
“It is one of the causes of Gender Based Violence (GBV),” she said.
A Consultant, Mr Martin-Mary Falana said the participants would also be empowered on identifying profitable business opportunities, innovative ideas for marketing and selling.
He said they would be trained on how to form and manage a Village Savings and Loan (VSLA).
Falana said that the women would be able to lay their hands on things that can improve their livelihood, especially as they will be given startup equipment to fend for themselves.
”It will also improve their socio economic development and ensure that they earn what they can use to fend for themselves and their younger ones, children and wards.
“They will also be grouped to form committee that will assist them with the VSLA, where they can make contributions and then gather it to help one another.
“This will go a long way to, at least, alleviate poverty, generate income and make them self reliant,” he said.
He encouraged other stakeholders to continue to support vulnerable groups, while urging the participants to remain strong.
”Living with HIV is not the end of life. HIV does not have anything to do with their brain. They can still use their hand to do a lot of businesses.
”They need help from other financial institutions to bring down the cost of interest in accessing loan so that they can do something with their lives,” he said.
Mrs Stella Ebeh-Obianuju, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, stressed the need to empower women living with HIV, which will make them less vulnerable, victims of GBV and enable them live healthy.
Ebeh-Obianuju is also the Coordinator, Hope Initiative (Mother’s to mother Support group).
“If we are empowered, we will be able to stand on our own, train our children, live a healthy and productive life.
“I believe that after this empowerment training, and with support, we will be able to stand on our own and be financial dependent, not relying on anyone,” she said.
Amina Mohammed, another beneficiary said that the initiative would make her self independent and provide for her family, especially amidst the current economy challenges.
