Support Fund, (VSF), Prof.
Sunday Ocheche, said the
organisation had earmarked
N120 million to support 7,000
widows and other vulnerable
women affected by Boko Haram
insurgency.
Ocheche made this known at
the inauguration of the project
held in Maiha Local
Government Area of Adamawa
on Wednesday.
He said that the beneficiaries
were those in Adamawa, Borno
and Yobe states.
Ocheche said that the
development was to assist
improve livelihood and create
business opportunity for the
widows who lost their
husbands to Boko Haram
insurgency.
“As part of the organisation’s
humanitarian intervention in
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe,
about 7, 000 widows and other
vulnerable women would be
assisted with unconditional
cash grant.
“Each beneficiary will receive
N20, 000 cash to restart a small
business of her choice,”
Ocheche said.
The executive director said that
the programme started last year
with 1,000 Internally Displaced
Women living in some camps in
Maiduguri.
He added that after the
successful outcome result of the
exercise, the organisation
decided to expand it to reach
more women and cover
additional affected states.
He explained that due to the
dynamic nature of the project,
it would be extended to cover
other affected states in the
region in the future.
In her remark, Prof. Nana
Tanko, the Director of the
Programme of VSF, said that
Borno had the highest number
of beneficiaries of 3,500 and
would be given N50 million
grant.
She said that Adamawa with the
total of 2,000 widows would
follow with N40 million while
Yobe with 1,500 beneficiaries
would have N30 million.
Tanko said that the
beneficiaries were contacted
and intensively selected
through their local cooperative
groups by some recognised Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs)
working in the three affected
states.
She said that in Adamawa four
local government areas: Maiha,
Mubi South, Mubi North and
Michika were selected by the
state government to participate
in the programme.
She said that Borno had five
local government areas:
Chibok, Askira-Uba, Gubio,
Mafa and Kaga, while in Yobe,
Gujba and Gulani local
government areas were
selected.
In their separate responses on
behalf of the beneficiaries,
Governors Muhammadu
Jibrillah and Kashim Shettima
of Adamawa and Borno
respectively, thanked the VSF
for the wonderful
“humanitarian assistances.’’
They were represented by
Hajiya Maisaratu Bello and
Hajiya Fanta Baba-Shehu,
Adamawa Permanent Secretary,
ministry of Women affairs and
Borno commissioner of Women
Affairs respectively.
The two governors, however,
warned the beneficiaries to
judiciously use the fund for the
purpose intended to better their
lives.
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