Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation (WCREF) trained blind women, among other persons living with disabilities (PWDs), on snacks and local beverage making on Friday.
The foundation also empowered 10 PWDs, all women, with funds to begin the business after the training.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Mrs. Maryam Abdu, said empowerment was part of their activities to commemorate the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD).
The theme of the 2024 IWD is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”
Abdu said that WCREF was working with vulnerable groups for inclusion, empowerment, and building their capacity.
She said that the foundation sponsored the 10 women with disabilities to make snacks and beverages to improve their livelihoods and make them self-reliant.
She commended Hajiya Hafsatu Abdullahi, a blind woman and founder of Rahafs Bites, who was the resource person.
Abdu promised to enhance Abdullahi’s capacity as a resource person as well as promote her business.
“Amazingly, she is visually impaired and has not let that stop her dreams. She is steadfast, level-headed, and dedicated to her craft.
“She has paved the way for other women to learn from her and broke the glass ceiling that limits PWDs in society.
“She has taught us as women not to allow society or culture to prevent us from aiming to the moon,” Abdu said.
Mr. Mica Shabi, the Executive Director of Improvement in Respect of Social Status of Disability (IRS&D), a partner in the training, thanked WCREF for empowering the PWDs and urged them not to relent.
Abdullahi said her brand, Rahafs Bite, a catering outfit, had successfully trained over 50 women on the making of snacks, juices, and different pastries.
She urged her trainees to utilise and make use of the knowledge they gained for their financial improvement.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Pricilla Daniel, a blind woman, thanked the foundation for the gesture.
She said she would begin a business of baking and selling doughnuts and lemon juice in her house to improve her income.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that certificates were issued to the women after the two-day training. (NAN)
