Linus Aleke Abuja:
Moved by the number of school age students that hawk petty goods on the streets and major highways during school hours as well as the impoverished conditions of some widows and orphans in the country, the National Council for Women Society (NCWS) in collaboration with a Non-governmental Organization has concluded plans to give twenty thousand naira each to indigent students to enable them register for the West African School Certificate examination.
The President, National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Dr. Laraba Gloria Shoda, who gave this hint in Abuja at the official flag off and inauguration of the empowerment programme, also explained that widows and orphans would get thirty thousand naira each to start a trade or go into small scale farming.
She further explained that the council for women societies decided to go into collaboration with a nonprofit organization to economically empower widows/orphans and educationally assist indigent students in the country because government alone cannot do everything.
Shoda, however, appealed to corporate bodies to center their corporate social responsibilities on education, skill acquisition and economic empowerment with the view to assisting disadvantaged citizens out of poverty.
The President explained that 12000 beneficiaries of the programme would be selected from across the federation, adding that the project would be launched in the six geo-political zones of the country.
On her part, the Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari represented by former Minister of Science and Technology, Dame Pauline Talen commended the initiative and pledged to support the effort.
She said that her pet project is anchored on helping the less privilege citizens as well as women empowerment.
Other dignitaries that attended the official flag off include first ladies of Kebbi, Nasarawa, and Gombe states, Commissioner of Women Affairs Niger state, and Directors of Federal Ministries.
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