Targets 1 Million PWD Women and Girls Across 36 States
Launches Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Farming for PWD Farmers
By Lanre Oloyede
In a significant stride towards promoting inclusivity and empowerment, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has trained and empowered over 45 women with disabilities in the production of reusable sanitary pads. This milestone event took place on Thursday at the official flag-off ceremony in the Karon-majigi area of Abuja, marking the beginning of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing the economic and social well-being of women and girls with disabilities across Nigeria.
The event, which also included the launch of the Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Farming initiative, saw over 45 women with disabilities undergoing a comprehensive two-week training program. This training equipped them with the skills to produce 10,000 reusable sanitary pads, positioning these women not just as beneficiaries, but as active participants in an enterprise aimed at economic empowerment.
This project, spearheaded by the office of the Senior Special Assistant on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities in collaboration with the Nigeria Women Economic Development Project (NigWED Project), targets over 1 million women and girls with disabilities across the 36 states of the federation. The initiative spans two phases from 2024 to 2027 and from 2027 to 2030, leveraging frameworks such as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Framework for Advancing Nigeria Women Financial Inclusion, the ECOWAS 50 Million African Women Speak Project, the African Union’s New Decade 2020-2030 for African Women Financial and Economic Inclusion, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality and Empowerment.
In his keynote address, Hon. Abba Isa highlighted the alignment of this project with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to improving menstrual health and hygiene, particularly for women with disabilities. “The government recognizes the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities due to the lack of access to sanitary products. This initiative is a critical step towards addressing this pressing issue,” he stated.
Hon. Abba Isa emphasized the government’s readiness to support initiatives that improve menstrual health and hygiene for women with disabilities. He commended the NigWED team for their timely and impactful initiative and urged the beneficiaries to seize these opportunities for their economic advancement. “The office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities has a clear mandate to create equal opportunities for all in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Achieving this mandate is only possible through partnerships like this one.”
He further elaborated on the broader implications of the initiative. “This workshop we are flagging off today, in partnership with NigWED, will provide opportunities for women with disabilities to be trained on how to sew these pads. They will be provided with the necessary materials and machines to start their own ventures. This initiative will empower them with valuable skills, fostering independence and economic empowerment,” he stated.
The event also marked the symbolic planting of the orange fleshed sweet potato by the SSAP, accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Barr. Yusuf Iyodo, and other notable guests. This initiative aims to integrate agricultural training into the empowerment programs for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Director-General of the NigWED Project, Mr. Lugard Okonobo, explained the benefits of the reusable sanitary pads. “The reusable sanitary pads are designed with inbuilt absorbents that can handle any volume of fluid during the menstrual period and can be washed and reused, saving women, particularly PWDs, significant amounts of money they would have spent on disposable pads,” he stated.
Mr. Okonobo also highlighted the importance of the Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Farming initiative for PWD farmers. He noted that a small sample of these potatoes can yield substantial produce with significant nutritional and medicinal value. “The leaves of these potatoes can be used to produce herbal tea, which has the potential to cure many terminal diseases. This project has the capacity to solve the problems of hunger and unemployment among PWDs, improving their economic empowerment and overall quality of life,” he explained.
The dual focus on agricultural training and menstrual health addresses multiple facets of the challenges faced by PWDs, offering a holistic approach to empowerment and inclusion. The collaborative efforts of Hon. Abba Isa and the NigWED Project demonstrate a commitment to fostering an inclusive society where every individual, regardless of their abilities, has the opportunity to thrive.
