In celebration of the 2025 International Women’s Day, the Centre for Women, Youth & Community Action (NACWYCA) has embarked on a transformative eight-month capacity-building initiative, titled Empowering Women, Enhancing Development: Building Capacity for Women’s Social Groups. The launch event, held at NACWYCA’s premises on Shendam Road, Lafia, brought together 12 women’s groups, including the Market Women Association, Tribal Women Groups, and Ethnic Women Associations.
Driving Sustainable Development for Women’s Groups
The initiative is designed to strengthen institutional frameworks, enhance leadership capacity, and improve the financial resilience of participating women’s groups. It seeks to transition these groups into dynamic and impactful organizations that operate beyond annual commemorative events.
Inspiring Leadership and Commitment
The event opened with an inspiring address by Hajia Ramatu Dalhatu, former President of the National Council for Women’s Society (NCWS). She praised NACWYCA’s Executive Director, Dr. Nawani Aboki, for his vision and commitment to women’s empowerment. Encouraging the participating groups to fully embrace the program, she emphasized the importance of consistent and sustainable community development efforts.
Dr. Nawani Aboki, the convener and project initiator, underscored the pivotal role women play in societal progress. He highlighted the untapped potential among women’s groups, often hindered by limited institutional capacity. Dr. Aboki detailed the four key thematic areas of the initiative and urged participants to actively engage in the structured training sessions over the next eight months.
Collaborative Planning for Tailored Impact
A strategic planning session, facilitated by NACWYCA’s Program Manager for Special Projects, Mr. Adokpa Mamman, enabled participants to co-create a program outline that addressed their unique needs. This participatory approach fostered a sense of ownership and commitment among the groups.
In concluding the session, Dr. Aboki affirmed the dedication of all 12 groups and highlighted the need for selecting literate members for training. This, he noted, would enhance knowledge transfer and ensure that the acquired skills benefit the broader organizations.
Projected Outcomes and Impact
- Enhanced Organizational Capacity: Participants will develop essential skills in leadership, financial management, and institutional development.
- Sustainable Women’s Networks: Strengthened inter-group collaboration will promote collective action for gender and economic empowerment.
- Economic Growth & Financial Inclusion: Improved financial literacy and resource mobilization will foster economic participation and self-reliance among women.
- Policy Engagement & Advocacy: Trained leaders will be better equipped to advocate for policies that advance women’s rights and development.
By the end of this initiative, NACWYCA envisions a stronger, more organized women’s movement in Nasarawa State. The project aims to lay the groundwork for enduring societal transformation, driven by empowered women equipped with the skills and knowledge to make lasting impacts in their communities.