Group Targets 50,000 Women for Free Skills Acquisition in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt 

A group under the aegis of Rivers Women Unite for SIM has intensified efforts to promote economic self-reliance through skills acquisition programmes aimed at improving the livelihoods of women across Rivers State.

The group expressed the determination to empower over 50,000 women from across the 23 local government areas with various skills acquisition.

The women group made this known during their monthly prayer meeting yesterday, held at the Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt, where they stressed the need for women to develop practical skills to cope with the nation’s changing economic realities.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Praise, Purpose and Productivity: Giving Thanks, Gaining Skills, Building Futures’, participants said the initiative was designed to encourage women to pursue economic independence and strengthen their capacity to support their families amid prevailing economic challenges.

Information officer of the RWUS, Glory Sunday noted that empowering women economically contributes significantly to societal development, describing women as natural multipliers of opportunities who can transform modest beginnings into meaningful achievements.

The group urged participants to remain committed and intentional in acquiring the skills offered through the programme, emphasising that dedication and perseverance would help them build sustainable businesses and secure better futures.

One of the leaders of the group, and former Chairperson of FIDA in the State, Adata Bio-Briggs explained that the group embarked on the programme to strengthen the women and build their capacity, expressing the belief that they will contribute meaningfully in the economy of the State.

“Today, we thought it wise that we come every month, once a month, to pray for the state, for the governor, for the nation, and for our women also. We said, it’s not just us praying, we need to empower women, make them more productive.

“We want the women to have work to do after now, so that when they go home, they have things that they can do. The Lord says he will bless the works of our hands. Let them have the works of their hands. So we decided that we’ll have series of trainings, and we’re starting with soap making today.

“So we should be doing like maybe minimum of 30, 50, 100 each for LGA in the various skills, depending on their interest. We’re looking at getting at least 50,000 women from across the LGAs of the State,” Bio-Briggs added.

Also speaking with Journalists, former Vice Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Tekena Wokoma said, “We have turned our leaf now to empowering women, to train women, to empower them, to give them a skill. We all read the Bible. When Jesus Christ was moving around in the crowd, at a point he gathered his crowd, gave them food, bread to eat, 5,000 loaves to eat. That’s a means of empowerment. And this is what we are doing. 

“We are gathering them also to give them skills that economically they will be okay. They will not look up to their husbands, their friends, or anybody in the society. When they are skilled, they will go about producing what we have taught them.”

On her part, another leader, Dr Nancy Nwankwo said the women are groomed in “politics, we’re in mentorship, we’re in literacy, we’re in entrepreneurship, and all that. So we’re out to build the woman.”

The prayer session concluded with a practical demonstration on soap, bleach and disinfectant production, as part of the vocational skills earmarked for comprehensive training during the group’s June and July gathering. There are also other skills earmarked by the group for subsequent training exercise. 

The women expressed their sustained commitment to Governor Fubara as a leader committed to the welfare and empowerment of women in the State.