By Beatrice Gondyi
The Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations (BASNEC) has stated that it has initiated ‘Village Savings and Loans Associations in some villages in five local governments of the state namely; Bauchi, Misau, Dambam, Itas Gadau and Zaki to ameliorate the hardship and poverty especially among rural women,
The manager of the project Zainab Mohammed Hassan stated this Sunday during an evaluation ceremony of the scheme at ‘Tsohon Kampany’ community in Miri village, Bauchi.
She said that BASNEC with support from a Non-Governmental Organization called ‘Care International’ organized training to women on savings and loans and leadership skills prior to the formation of the associations.
Hassan, who is also the administrative officer of BASNEC, explained that the associations, women would be saving funds in money boxes provided by BASNEC and grant interest-free loans to members to start small scale businesses which they would repay in installments.
She further stated that the women keep and manage their money under the custody of their elected officials, while BASNEC guides and supervises their operations.
The project manager noted that the initiative launched nine months ago was aimed at making rural women financially strong so they could help their husbands in the upkeep of their children.
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Also speaking, a member of the Bauchi state assembly representing Miri, Zungur, and Galambi lauded BASNEC for the initial opening that it would empower the village women economically.
The lawmaker also donated the sum of N250, 000 to the savings and loans association and urged them to cover more women.
In her remarks, the leader of the village savings and loans association of the community Rashida Sadik revealed that they had 15 money boxes at Tsohon Kampani with each box having 30 registered women who contribute funds to help themselves.
Rashida disclosed that with the development, many women had started various petty trades in the last nine months and are now self-reliant.
