Sokoto First Lady Empowers 300 Women with Skills Training

On Saturday, Dr. Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, the First Lady of Sokoto State, addressed 300 women who graduated from a state-sponsored vocational training scheme. She encouraged them to maximize their skills and resist selling their start-up equipment and capital grants.

The training covered six artisanal trades: tailoring, knitting, weaving, henna artistry, beadwork, and shoe/bag manufacturing, with 50 women trained per trade. The Sokoto State Government invested over N150 million in this empowerment initiative.

The start-up packages included tailored support for each trade, such as machinery and cash grants ranging from N20,000 to N100,000. Dr. Fatima emphasized the importance of human capital development and the administration's focus on poverty alleviation and grassroots wealth creation.

She acknowledged the collaborative efforts of various ministries and the impact of federal initiatives like the Renewed Hope Initiative. The Commissioner for Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, Hon. Abba Muhammad Mu’alledi, praised the beneficiaries for their commitment during the training.