As part of efforts to mitigate poverty especially among rural women, the Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations (BASNEC) has stated that it formed ‘Village Savings and Loans Associations in some villages in five local governments of the state namely; Bauchi, Misau, Dambam, Itas Gadau and Zaki.
Administration officer of BASNEC who is the manager of the project Zainab Mohammed Hassan stated this Sunday during an evaluation ceremony of the scheme at ‘Tsohon Kampany’ community in Miri village, Bauchi.
She explained that BASNEC with support from a Non Governmental Organization called ‘Care International’ organized trainings to women on savings and loans and leadership skills prior to the formation of the associations.
According to her, under the associations, women would be saving funds in money boxes provided by BASNEC and grant interest free loans to members to start small scale businesses which they would repay in instalments.
Zainab added that the women keep and manage their money under the custody of their elected officials, while BASNEC guides and supervises their operations.
The project manager noted that the initiative launched nine months ago was aimed at making rural women financially strong so they could help their husbands in the upkeep of their children.
Also speaking, a member of the Bauchi state assembly representing Miri, Zungur and Galambi lauded BASNEC for the initiative opining that it would empower the village women economically.
The lawmaker also donated the sum of N250, 000 to the savings and loans association and urged them to cover more women.
In her remarks, the leader of the village savings and loans association of the community Rashida Sadik revealed that they had 15 money boxes at Tsohon Kampani with each box having 30 registered women who contribute funds to help themselves.
Rashida disclosed that with the development, many women had started various petty trades in the last nine months and are now self-reliant.
She said that the participants had much interest in the scheme assuring that they were ready to sustain it.
