As part of their mandate, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development collaborated with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to train 19 women with disabilities and their caregivers on Hospitality and Tourism, Event Management, Cosmetology and Make Up.
In a closeout/graduation ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, represented by the Director of Special Needs, Mrs Nkechi Onwukwe while congratulating the beneficiaries, said that they decided to organize the training in order to enhance the skill of the trainees in selected trade areas.
She said disability was both a human and development issue, adding that global focus had been on addressing disability challenges that continually threatened human existence and attainment of meaningful development.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that great proportions of the Nigerian population are persons with disabilities. It is also a fact that women and girls with disabilities suffer the double burden of being women and also with disabilities”
“We are aware of the global economic crises bedeviling the world in recent years, and its attendant consequences which Nigeria as a country is not immune to. There are equally empirical evidences which indicate that persons with disabilities and more importantly women and girls with disabilities are disproportionately affected by these ugly economic and developmental indexes”.
“Thus, my ministry through the Special Needs Department, thought it wise to organize training to enhance the skills of the trainees in the selected trades, build entrepreneurship skills and enhance their employee-of-labour potential.
“It may interest you to note that this training is just a pilot phase with the intention of scaling up to other states of the federation.
“The FMHADMSD in discharge of its mandate has through the Department of Special Needs (formally Rehabilitation Department), has embarked on numerous programmes and activities aimed at ameliorating the problems affecting PWDs in general and women with disabilities in particular.
“I understand that 19 of you received the training, with 12 in hospitality and Event Management, while seven had cosmetology and Make Up. I advise that you all make good use of this opportunity to improve on your livelihoods.
“The sky is only your starting point, and I strongly believe that the market was there for you to be on your own, expand and even become employers of labour.
“We will continue to support you to ensure that you start on a right footing by giving out grants of N100,000 each.
We will also be following up on you to check how the training has impacted on you,” she said.
She asked the trainees to supply their bank account details so that by next week the grants of N100,000 would drop in each and every one’s accounts.
Mr. Lawrence Idemudia, the Acting Director, Social Integration Dept, National Commission for Persons with disabilities (NCPWD) who represented The Executive Secretary, NCPWD, Mr. James David Lalu said that the initiative is a step in the right direction because it will equip persons with disabilities providing them skills to earn a living on their own.
Speaking further, he said that it is important all agencies take the empowerment of persons with disabilities and it includes implementing the 5% employment quota in line with Nigeria Disability Act.
Speaking, the ITF’s Training Manager, Hajiya Halima Rabo, said the trainees came as individuals, but leaving with skills.
“It is important to impact in the lives of persons with disability.
It is also important to note that disability does not mean you are not able to be creative and create value in the society.
“It is my believe that very soon, you would come to tell me how you are doing and we will follow up on what you are doing.
Congratulations to you all and please, come back with success stories,” Rabo urged the trainees.
Similarly, the ITF’s Area Manager, Abuja Area Office, Hajiya Hauwa Mohammed, said that the trainees were leaving better than when they came.
“From what you have learnt here, you will be gainfully employed without waiting for government or other organisations to employ you.
A skilled hands will never lack”.
The Advocacy Advisor of Sightsavers Nigeria, Mrs Esther Bature, said females were marginalised in the scheme of things.
She added that as a woman with disability, it was even worst.
” This event is timely because today, we are celebrating the International Day of the girl-child.
“We hope that acquiring these skills will be a better start of good things to come to women and girls with disabilities,” Bature said.
Patience Ogolo Dickson, Executive Director, Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative in her goodwill message thanked the Ministry for the gesture, encouraged the trainees to take advantage of the skills acquired to rewrite their different stories. Speaking further, she pointed out that women with disabilities are suffering double jeopardy and they are finding it difficult to find job. She promised to use her organization mechanism to monitor the trainees to ensure that they live up to expectation.
Other stakeholders FCTA Social Development Secretariat and others restated their commitment to support women and girls with disabilities.
