Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Executive Director of Victims Support Fund (VSF), Prof. Sunday Ochoche has said that 6,000 are empowered with N180 million disbursements to strengthen economic enterprises delivery among victims of insurgency. The entrepreneur women victims; are drawn from Boko Haram insurgency affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in Northeast. Prof. Ochoche disclosed this on Friday, while flagging off the Empowerment Cash Distribution (ECD) project to 1,000 women at Bama, Borno state. He said that Bama is the most insurgency affected Local Government Area; with the highest number of orphans and not guided children from the 10-year conflict. Ochoche, who was represented by VSF Director of Programmes, Prof. Nana Tanko said: “Once you empower a woman, you empowered the entire family members that survived Boko Haram insurgency in the last six years.” “You can stand on your feet to be empowered, so that you feed your children adequately and send them to schools to become future leaders of this country,” adding that the entrepreneurial loan has been increased from N20,000 to N30,000 for each beneficiary. While urging women to make good use of credit facilities, she said entrepreneurs, who have excelled in their economic activities, will be provided with additional loans and working inputs. She explained that Borno state; has the highest number of 2,500 beneficiaries, while Adamawa and Yobe states, are to present 2,000 and 1, 500 women victims each for the ECD project implementation. According to her, the ECD project with the theme: “Strengthening Delivery of Enterprises for Women Victims of Emergency,” was to overcome the devastating effects of insurgency that claimed many lives and property. Nana said that while implementing the project, each beneficiary will save and record the money being generated at monthly meetings before taking it to banks. “This is to inculcate the habits of savings among you to first raise capital, expand and manage your respective entrepreneurial economic activities for self-reliance and family well-being,” she said. Governor Kashim Shettima said that the Fund’s interventions and support in the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) of Bama, has restored life, with increased economic activities within and around the township. He said that Bama was attacked and destroyed in August, 2014 by the insurgents that fattened the township to ground with heaps of ashes and rubbles that were cleared last year.
