The 2023 Women Savings Credit Cooperative and Farming Empowerment (WOSACCOFEM) had kicked off with 25 Women in Karishi/Takalafia area of Nasarawa and Abuja. According to Obi, the Lead in WOSACOFEM, when asked what the project is all about, he responded that it is a small scale community economic empowerment programme that uses farming as a source of livelihood and interfaith building and religious harmony at the same time. He further to explain that it is a farming process that targets and bring together Muslim and Christian women in religious conflict and sensitive environments to unit, work together for mutual co- existence. Obi noted that women, who pass through this programme a trained, mentored to commence small trades, businesses on their own with time from the general farm harvests. He said, since the beginning of the programme over 60 women and young girls have participated and benefited from the programme. He however said that the year 2023 will offer another valuable opportunity to continue to address other cross cutting challenges women and girls are facing, such as poverty, lack of education and poor health- maternal and child health among women.
According to him, this year farm is concentrating on Tomotoes, Ground nut, maize, Beans and other plants for bumper harvest.
Chief Haruna Dogo, the Traditional Leader of the Community call increasing the number of women and youths that are selected for the programme and thanked Youths for Peace Building and development- YOUPEDA for supporting the community women at a time the country is facing both social and economic difficulties.
Chatting with some of the beneficiaries of this project; Zainab Ahmed, a mother with three children commended YOUPEDA for engaging them and supporting their tomatoes farming. “ If not for your intervention we rural women will not know about this opportunity and participate in it, you have saved us and you have helped us grow and make business on our own”
According to the Women leader in one of the communalities, she said “We are all rural farmers here, please help us to tell Government to build our roads that we use in bringing out our farm produce into the market- it unfair that women, youth and children are suffering during farming season, due to bad roads and insecurity”
Also, in his own description of what YOUPEDA does in his community, the Youth Leader, Yakubu Muhammed praised the organization and her team for the elevating the status of the women by bringing them together and united through farming and entrepreneurship.
Meanwhile, Obi assured every beneficiary of the groups determination to engage more women in future and working with the local government for sustainability.
