Some seven Deaf women, alongside 693 other young female indigenes of Gombe State had received free training in various entrepreneurship skills.
The training program was facilitated by renowned philanthropist, Hon. Abba Adamu Hassan (fondly called Masoyi) under his pet humanitarian project: “The Masoyi Foundation”.
The Masoyi Foundation is a renowned free skills acquisition training center for empowerment of women and youth within Gombe metropolis as well as neighboring States of the Northeast.
Participants at the program received a one week training from 21st to 28th August. Focus was to foster self reliance in young women and youth by imparting business-oriented knowledge and skills set.
Speaking during the formal graduation ceremony of the fifth batch of graduands, Founder/CEO of the Masoyi Foundation, Hon. Abba Adamu Hassan said:
“It is by looking at the various challenges like hunger, poverty, high rate of unemployment and divorce, etc, bedeviling the country that this foundation focuses on empowering youths, especially women. We want to reduce the rate of unemployment, hunger, poverty and crime while raising standard of living of citizens of our dear State and country”.
He added that the foundation has, since its establishment five years ago trained more than 2,000 youths across the 11 Local Government Areas of Gombe State.
Adamu however called on beneficiaries of the empowerment program to hold dear what knowledge and skills they acquired during the program. He also advised them to link up with experts in the various skill areas.
Speaking further, he admonished beneficiaries to ensure to register their businesses with relevant authorities.
His words: “I urge each and every beneficiary to register his business with popular or Government business organizations for easy access to Government funding, and possibly, loans”.
“I’m also pleased to let the general public know that we’re currently planning a couple programs. The first is designed to train 1000 youths across the 36 States of Nigeria. The other one is exclusively reserved for the six Emirates”, he added.
It was gathered that the weeklong training was dedicated to celebrate the turbaning of Alhaji Musa Ahmed as first “Gafakan Gombe” by HRH Alh Dr. Abubakar Shehu Abubakar lll, Emir of the State and Chairman, Gombe State Council of Chiefs.
Among the skills set acquired by trainees are catering, tailoring, shoe making, bag making, cosmetology, etc.
INN can authoritatively report that apart from empowerment of women and youths, the Masoyi Foundation also blaze the trail in humanitarian aids, environmental health awareness and sanitation.
The combined graduation ceremony of the fourth and fifth batch of graduands had several traditional dignitaries in attendance. These include Alh. Nasiru Adamu (Sarkin Hausawan Gombe), Alh. Musa Ahmad M. (Gafakan Gombe), Sheikh Ahmad Sukairaj, Alh. Abdullahi Bappa (Idayan Gombe), Alh. Chiroman Sarkin (Askan Gombe), Alh. Muhammad Baba Mabani (Dan Adalan Gombe), Dagachin Bolari, Engr. Sidi Salahudden Muhammad (Senior Banking Officer, Taj Bank and Patron, Masoyi Foundation), Hon. Ahmed Chichi, Hon Usman Dodo (Commissioner, Nigerian Girl Guide Association), Hauwa Usman Babaji (President, Arewa Young Women Graduate Development Initiative), and members of the Gombe PWDs community.