The Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) Nigeria has begun a five-day empowerment programme for widows in Gombe State as part of its nationwide empowerment campaign.
The programme which began on Monday, August 24, 2026, is set to equip the participants with vocational skills and start-up equipment aimed at improving their livelihoods and enabling them to support their families.
The empowerment programme, which focuses on fashion design and other income-generating skills, is being organised for widows who, according to CSW Nigeria, had previously not benefited from the organisation’s interventions.
Speaking with journalists at the opening of the training, the CSW Nigeria Training Officer, Alice Nmadu, said the training team had travelled from Kaduna to Gombe to reach widows who had largely been overlooked in previous interventions.
“We came all the way from Kaduna to impact the lives of widows in Gombe,” Nmadu said.
She explained that the programme was supported by donors from Canada and was designed to equip beneficiaries with practical skills that could provide them with sustainable sources of income.
Nmadu said some of the beneficiaries were being trained in tailoring, while others were to receive milling machines as an alternative form of livelihood support.
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According to her, the machines were particularly suitable for older widows who might find it difficult to sit for long periods operating a sewing machine.
“Most of these widows in their communities are neglected, and there is no help for them, especially the young ones. When we train these young ones, you find out that they benefit more. They are able to train themselves, train their children and impact their communities as well,” said Nmadu.
Mrs. Nmadu also disclosed that the beneficiaries would receive start-up kits containing materials needed to put their newly acquired skills to use.
She said CSW Nigeria had put mechanisms in place to ensure the equipment and materials given to the widows were used for their intended purpose rather than sold or taken away by relatives.
“We have what we call impact assessment. We will be coming back by the end of three months. We will go to their houses and take pictures with them,” she explained.
The empowerment programme is part of CSW Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen the economic resilience of vulnerable widows through vocational training and access to livelihood tools which can in turn impact their communities.
