House of Representatives Member representing Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency of Kaduna state, Hon. Gabriel Saleh Zock, has given the sum of N37 million to 500 widows in his constituency, as business grant to help them build their businesses.
The 500 women, who were selected from the 22 wards that makes up the Federal Constituency, were given N30,000 each, while those with outstanding business proposals were given between N300,000 and N500,000. About 200 Muslim and Christian religious leaders in the constituency also benefited N11 million largesse as financial support for their peace promotion efforts.
Addressing the women beneficiaries in Kachia on Monday, Hon. Zock, who carried out the constituency empowerment programme in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, said the gesture was aimed at empowering the women to start or uplift their businesses, so that they can be financially independent. He urged them to utilize the fund judiciously so that they can become financially independent and assist their respective households.
The lawmaker, while informing that he has appointed agents to monitor the beneficiaries and their businesses, said those who run successful businesses would be further empowered with a million naira grant after one year.
“We are here to empower the religious leaders in this month of Ramadan for the Muslims and also the season of Lent for the Christians. So I deemed it fit to show my own support to the religious leaders and urged them to sacrifice their time and pray for the country so we can have peace. For the widows, we are donating N24 million to empower about 500 women in the first phase so that they can start a small trade. Apart from the N24 million there are other genuine business proposals in which some got N500,000 some got N300,000, others N100,000.
“With this grant, they can start up menial businesses and also help their children in school. We know that women are the foundation of the house and having a small business will help them go a long way. So we are trying to encourage women to stand up and learn how to do business, so that we can have a business minded generation,” he said.
A Director from the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Chukwuemeka Mba, Director of Training CMB, Kenneth Okoro and Barrister AbdulKadir Bello Idris had earlier presented papers on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and how women and communities can stop the scourge.
