The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), with support from ActionAid Nigeria has commenced business support training programme for women in communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The women are drawn from Dakwa, Dantata and Tunga Ashere communities in the FCT.
The Sponsorship Officer for CITAD, Salma Abdulwaheed, said the organisation decided to bring potential entrepreneur and beneficiaries of the digital skills to mentor and show them pathway in which they can gain financial support in their businesses and their day to day activities.
She noted that the rural communities are left behind, adding that most of the women in the rural community do not know how to access loan or grant.
She further said; “So, we decided to bring agencies to talk to them to be able to show them the pathway and mentor on what to do in their businesses while those having challenges would be shown how to counter such challenges and also how to build their businessâ€.
“The essence of the programme is to talk to the local women on how to go about the training they have learned. Between last year and this year (2018/2019),we have trained over 200 student on digital skills so they can empower themselves.
“With support from ActionAid, we have been able to establish five ICT centres in different Area Councils. These are facilities that we have created for communities to come together to discuss community problemsâ€.
“The communities are Pasipa under Bwari Area Council, two in AMAC, Kwali, Tunga Ashere, Dakwa Dantata, Lele Gwari and Gaube communities are connected to the ongoing program. CITAD is ever ready to increase the number of beneficiaries and extend it to other communities.
She called on government to support the rural communities with startup capital saying the people are potential entrepreneur that want to do something for themselves and their communities.
Some of the beneficiaries said they want to open a business centre while others said they are interested in starting small scale business adding however that the challenge they face is absence of startup capital.
The representative from Women Affairs, Economic Service Department, Patricia Ukana, said the women would be registered based on their business with the ministry for easier identification as a group.
On her part, Hajara Opaluwa Adamu of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), acknowledged and appreciated the council and all members of staff for embracing the initiative.
She said that ActionAid partnership with local Right Programme runs in 11 states including FCT making it twelve, adding that they work with local communities adding that its area of coverage include education, governance, humanitarian, food and agric.
She fruther said; “We are not into service delivery but into capacity building and strengthening in which we build up their capacity to be able to meet up with demand.â€
