By Baba Yusuf
An Islamic group, Women in Da’awah, has donated sewing machines to some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) drawn from Karmajiji and Durumi camps in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Vice-president of the group, Hajiya Rahama Musa, said the gesture was part of their efforts to assist the IDPs women through various training and empowerment programmes.
“The IDPs women were trained for various skills acquisition initiatives which include knitting, cell-phone repairs, tailoring, handbags and shoe making,” she said, adding that the empowerment was to encourage them not to abandon what they had learned.
She added that “the support programme is in collaboration with Media Trust and Al-Ansar Homes.”
Also speaking, the group’s coordinator for Karmajiji Camp, Hajiya Atika Dewu, said those that got sewing machines were among the successful trainees that had shown a sense of dedication in learning the tailoring skills during a six-week training programme.
She advised the beneficiaries against selling the items donated to them, urging them to rather put them into use, as they would help them to become self-reliant.
“We will do a follow-up to assess if you put them into use,” she said.
Presenting the sewing machines to some of the beneficiaries, the representative of the Media Trust at the event, Malam Kabiru Bala, commended the women in Da’awah group for their excellent initiatives as well as the manner of their operation.
According to him, some time ago, the Media Trust Ltd launched a foundation and generated funds to the tune of N100 million for IDPs.
He disclosed that “so far, over sixty per cent of the funds have been extended to some organisations that have the experience and are involved in various support programmes for the IDPs.”
“And because of their good track records and sincerity, women in Da’awah are among the group Media Trust collaborates with,” he said. Also speaking at the event, the director of ESTEEM Academy, Abuja, Alhaji Musa Bukar Sani, lamented over the “pathetic situation the women and children in the IDPs have found themselves,” and prayed for them to overcome the situation and return to their respective homes.
