By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

No fewer than 50 internally displaced women in Benue State have received vocational training and empowerment tools following the intervention of Sterling One Foundation aimed at improving their livelihoods and economic independence. 

The beneficiaries, drawn from the Tahav Women Cooperative Society, were supported under the POWER Project of the Centre for Redefining Alternative Civic Engagement for Africa (RACE), in collaboration with its partner, the Gender Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI). 

The cooperative society was established to assist vulnerable women in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and host communities in the state, providing them with practical skills and business knowledge to rebuild their lives. 

Unveiling the tools during a Social Media Marketing and Visibility Training organised for the women, the Executive Director of RACE, Mrs. Evelyn Ugbe, said it was made possible by Sterling One Foundation’s  donation of N1 million to support the initiative. 

Ugbe described the intervention as timely and impactful, noting that it would significantly improve the women’s sources of livelihood and enhance their capacity for self-reliance. 

She commended Sterling One Foundation for demonstrating commitment to inclusive development and sustainable empowerment of vulnerable groups. 

“We are also urging private sector organisations, in their corporate social responsibility programmes, when designing and implementing such initiatives, to include these women IDPs as exemplified by Sterling One Foundation,” Ugbe said. 

According to her, the foundation has set a model worthy of replication by other corporate organisations seeking to make meaningful social impact. 

“They have indeed shown a sustainable and inclusive model. Their support for these women is commendable and should be emulated by other private sector players to improve the livelihood of the vulnerable in society,” she added. 

Also speaking, the Executive Director of GERI, Mrs. Elizabeth Jeiyol, lauded Sterling One Foundation for the intervention, saying it would make a significant difference in the lives of the beneficiaries. 

Jeiyol stressed that beyond the vocational skills acquired, the additional training in business management and social media marketing would position the women to compete effectively in the marketplace. 

She assured stakeholders that the tools provided would be judiciously used to improve the economic fortunes of the displaced women, expressing optimism that the programme would serve as a pathway to long-term stability and financial independence for the beneficiaries. 

Some of the items donated included pop corn making machine, sewing machine and power generator.