By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
PLAN International in collaboration with the Global Affairs Canada (GAC), has empowered and supported Seventy-eight selected adolescent girls and young women in Bauchi State with start – up kits linked to their approved business plans and identified market opportunities.
The programme was implemented by PLAN International in partnership with the Canadian Government through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) under the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Nigeria (ASPIRE), project.
The event, held on Tuesday, highlighted ASPIRE’s contribution to women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion, livelihood development and resilience-building while also demonstrating the value of integrated programming that connects economic empowerment with Sexual, reproductive health (SRHR), gender equality, protection, mental health and psychological well-being.
It will also provide an opportunity to strengthen stakeholders visibility around the project’s result, promote continued support for adolescent girls and young women and showcase practical pathways for improving their agency, confidence, livelihoods, and participation in household and community decision-making.
In her remarks at the occasion, Commissioner of Women Affairs and Child Development, Dr Lydia Haruna Tsanmani, stated that, “We commend the efforts towards implementing and integrating interventions that link Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), gender equality, mental health, and economic empowerment in addressing the challenges affecting adolescent girls and young women in Bauchi State.”
Represented by the Acting Director, Women Affairs, Hadiza Ahmed, the Commissioner added,”We also appreciate the inclusive process through which the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups were established, with the Ministry of Women Affairs playing a leading role through this valuable partnership.”
According to her, “Through this collaboration, Ten Women Development Officers, two Ministry Staff members, and fourteen young female facilitators were trained, leading to the successful establishment of over 30 VSLA groups across the 10 implementing Local Government Areas.”
Lydia Haruna Tsanmani added that, “.These VSLA platforms have significantly strengthened financial literacy, promoted a culture of savings, and enhanced entrepreneurship and business management skills among women and girls. The initiative has also supported viable income-generating activities, thereby improving livelihoods and economic resilience.”
“Importantly, the ASPIRE project has contributed to reducing vulnerability through increased awareness of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), including prevention measures, response mechanisms, and referral pathways,” She stressed.
The Commissioner further stated that,”Many women and girls have testified that participation in these groups has helped them better understand the importance of joint decision-making while empowering them socially and economically. We therefore commend Plan International and Global Affairs Canada for this impactful intervention, and we reaffirm our commitment to supporting initiatives that promote the well-being, protection, and economic empowerment of women and girls.”
In a brief remarks, National Project Manager, PLAN International ASPIRE Project, Mohammed Murtala Bello, explained that the ASPIRE Project is a multi-Sectoral initiative supported by the GAC and implemented by PLAN International Nigeria in Bauchi and Sokoto States.
He added that it is seeking to address interconnected barriers affecting adolescent girls and young women, particularly in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender inequality, harmful social norms, mental health and psychological well-being and economic exclusion.
To respond to these challenges, the project adopts an integrated approach that combines SRHR awareness, gender equality, mental health and psychosocial support, life skills, and economic empowerment.
According to him, One of the key economic empowerment strategies under the project
=the strengthening of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) and women’s economic
mpowerment platforms.
These platforms provide safe and structured spaces for savings,
mancial literacy, peer learning, leadership development, psychosocial support, and practical business growth.
Through the VSLA approach, adolescent girls and young women have been supported to build knowledge and skills in budgeting, savings, marketing, financial management, entrepreneurship, business planning, and decision-making.
The project also integrates
areness on gender-based violence prevention and response, referral pathways, SRHR information, and psychosocial wellbeing, ensuring that economic empowerment is linked to gader wellbeing, safety, and agency.
He stressed that the distribution of start-up kits marks an important milestone in the project’s economic empowerment pathway. It follows a gender-responsive market assessment, structured entrepreneurship training, business plan development, and a grant funding process designed to support viable income-generating activities. The start-up kits are intended to help selected participants establish or expand small businesses, strengthen resilience and improve their access to sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Also speaking, a traditional ruler, Dan Iyan Bauchi, Suleiman Ahmed Bashir, commemded PLAN International with support from the Global Affairs Canada (GAC), through the ASPIRE Project for empowering adolescent girls and young women to make them self relevant and employers of labor.
The traditional ruler warned the beneficiaries against selling off the items given to them but should used them for the purpose meant for.
Some of the beneficiaries in their various testimonies, appreciated PLAN International with support from GAC for embarking on the ASPIRE project which has liberated them from depending on their families but have become supportes instead.
They assured that the empowerment items given to them will be put to judicious use promising that by the next time such Wil be repeated more adolescent girls and young women will be part of it.
A cross section of the beneficiaries with their items
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