French Embassy Supports Neem Foundation with N84m to Empower 200 GBV Survivors in Sokoto

Adedayo Akinwale

As part of an effort to provide mental health support and training in income-generating activities, the French Embassy in Nigeria has supported the Neem Foundation with €100,000, which is equivalent to N84 million to empower Gender-based Violence (GBV) survivors in Sokoto state.

According to the 2018 National Demography and Health Survey in Nigeria, more than three in 10 women and girls experienced some form of physical, mental, or sexual violence at age 15.

To this end, the project is aimed at providing vocational and entrepreneurship training as well as mental health and psychosocial support services to women affected by conflict and Gender-based violence in North-west Nigeria.

Giving an overview of the project on Wednesday in Abuja, Minoe Duamwan, said the project would directly impact 200 women.

She explained that increased violence and banditry across the country, and particularly in the North, has exacerbated the incidence of GBV against women and girls.

Duamwan added that thousands of women have become widows and sole breadwinners in a context where they have little access to land resources and economic opportunities such as entrepreneurship to support themselves and their families.

She decried that survivors have limited access to basic services including health and education, adding that for displaced women and girls in many communities in the North-West and North-East, the violence has sharply accentuated pre-existing gender and economic disparities.

Duamwan noted that without psycho-social support and access to training, these women are at risk of sexual exploitation.

Her words: “The project and its activities will aim to directly support 200 women and support them in their empowerment. Particular attention will be paid to groups of women who fall into the following categories: women/girls who have undergone or are at risk of undergoing early forced marriage and women/girls who have undergone or are at risk of undergoing sexual and gender-based violence or harmful practices.

“Thus, the project will indirectly reach 2000 beneficiaries from the homes of the direct beneficiaries of this program. Households will benefit from additional income from skills acquired during training sessions and income-generating activities.

“We are being supported with €100,000 to implement this project. The programme will be carried out for a period of 10 months.”

Also, the Director of Administration, Sokoto State Small and Medium Enterprises Agency (SOSMEDA), Mr. Buhari Sulaiman, commended the efforts of the French government for the project, saying it would positively impact the people of the state and the country at large.

According to him, SOSMEDA is ready to partner with Neem foundation to give all the necessary support for the successful implementation of the programme.

On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Sokoto state Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Dantsoh, said they are committed to to working with any partner to uplift and empower the Sokoto women or the adolescent girls.