By Rabilu Abubakar , Gombe
The Gombe state Zakat and waqf Foundation has graduated it’s 5th set of 40 less privileged women that underwent a series of training on various skills for self reliance.
The 5th set numbering 88 were inaugurated on the 14th February, 2021, however, 40 reached the graduation level and were given N10, 000 each as startup capital.
The 6th set of the beneficiaries of the Women Empowerment Program under the Zakah and Waqf Foundation, Gombe, had undergone a semi-final graduation ceremony Sunday morning, the 13th of March, 2022.
The actual graduation ceremony and inauguration of the new empowered (6th Set) is expected to be held after Ramadan.
In her welcome address the Head of Women Empowerment, Malama Maryam Yaya, thanked the beneficiaries for their doggedness in completing the full year of biweekly meetings, savings and enlightenment, and were able to save close to N1, 200,000 since 28th February, 2021.
The Chairman of the Occasion who is also the Vice Chairman of the Foundation, QS Ahmad M. Kabir, commended the head of Women Empowerment for their tireless efforts and doggedness in keeping the Program alive and functioning.
He prayed for Allah’s blessing over what has been sought which has created an avenue of reducing the poverty level in Gombe State at large.
In his remarks the Chairman of the Foundation, Ameer Abdullahi Abubakar Lamido, gave a detailed rundown of the next level of their empowerment to the beneficiaries who joined the WADATA Women Cooperative Society.
According to him, the cooperative societies include building regular savings, access to capital, owning assets, cooperative education among others.
He explained that many among the beneficiaries will pay for their hajj fares, some may pay their Zakah of 50 million naira, while others may make donations to the less privileged.
The Chairperson WAMCOS, WADATA multipurpose Women Cooperative Society, Malama Hanne Abdullahi, welcomed the successful beneficiaries into WAMCOS.
She emphasized the need for coming to monthly meetings and making monthly savings regularly.
She also introduced to them the idea for ‘special savings’ which is usually for long-term plans like the wedding of a daughter, registration fee of kids, hajj savings among others.
One of the beneficiaries, Kulu Muhammad (Amira of the Beneficiaries) from Tudun Wada, explained what the Women Empowerment Programme meant to her.
She said It is like a person on a standstill in total darkness, and then someone comes with a torch light and shows him the way out of the darkness.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of gifts to the beneficiaries who were the most outstanding in performance, in determination, in frequent attendance to meetings and in savings.
