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By Atiku Galadima, Maiduguri
An NGO dedicated to improving adolescent health, Action Health Incorporated (AHI) in collaboration with International Research Development Centre (IDRC) of Canada has trained 300 girls in Borno.
The girls were trained in local cap making (zanna) and Computer Literacy
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Maiduguri, the Executive Director of AHI, Adenike Esiet, said the adolescent girls were children of Internally Displaced Persons at the El-Badawi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri.
Esiet said the graduates comprised of 200 trained in local cap (zanna) making while 100 were trained in computer literacy and coding.
Esiet said the 200 girls who graduated in cap making would be given start-up package containing materials for five caps to sustain thier business, while the 100 computer training who are still in school would be given certificate.
She noted that the research conducted in the camp by AHI on sexual and reproductive health and rights challenges of adolescent girls and young women in the camp necessitated such support as part of measures to adress the challenges.
Esiet said other measures taken to address the challenges with other partners included reaching out to 2,300 adolescent girls and young women with Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) information and services.
“We also engaged husbands and male partners to improve acceptance of SRH services and mitigate Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the camp,” Esiet said.
She lauded Borno Government, trainers, parents and leaders in the camp for their support towards the success of AHI programme.
In his remarks, a digital Literacy facilitator, Albashir Ishaq Ibrahim, commended the graduates for thier resilience and commitment.
Ibrahim urged them to make maximum use of the opportunity provided them to excel.
He said that those trained in computer should count themselves lucky for being equipped to face the challenges of 20th century.
In her remarks, the Borno Director Women Affairs, Falmata Hamza lauded the intervention of AHI in supporting the vulnerables in Borno and assured it of government collaboration at all time
Hamza advised beneficiaries of the empowerment programmes by AHI to not to sale the kit and to embrace saving culture to generate capital to further boost thier business.
In her message, the Director-General of Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo lauded the health and empowerment support to the vulnerables which she said has gone a long way in complementing government efforts.
Some parents and beneficiaries from the camp who spoke, also lauded the intervention which they said not only provided them source of livelihood but also improved thier reproductive health education and hygiene.
AHI established in 1989 is in Borno for a project initiated in 2020 on situation of adolescent girls in humanitarian situation. The project is supported by IDRC, a Canadian research institution.
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