NGO Trains 500 Women On Shea Value Chain, Distributes Gas Cylinders

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Shea Integrated Global Foundation (SIGF) has trained 500 women on the Shea value chain to boost their financial independence and also distributed 200 gas cylinders/burners to women as an alternative energy source in the Arikya Community, Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The NGO is implementing a program “Conservation and Livelihood Improvement of Women through Shea tree Value- Chain Development ( She)A) matters)”, funded via the Global Environment Facility/Small Grants Programme ( GEF/SGP) which is being administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Programme Manager, Mrs. Priscilla Nwosu, represented by a Member, of the Board of Trustees of the organisation, Mr. Collins Nwosu, said the project was aimed at conserving at least 1,000 hectares of wild parkland in the Arikya community, thus creating a sustainable model for environmental conservation.

“This is a 12-month project designed to be concluded by October 2023. The entry point for this project is the leverage and commercialization of the economic nature of the trees/ natural habitat without physically altering the nature and balance of the areas of operation”.

“We looked to Shea as the base crop and women as the access point to households and communities; hence the name of the project “She(a) Matters,” she said.

The Project manager said that the organisation had mobilised and sensitised women on the dangers of cutting trees, through joint community effort.

Safety procedures

said that the beneficiaries have also been trained on safety procedures for proper usage of the gas cylinders/ burners given to them to avert fire outbreaks.

Nwosu also stated that 10 youths were indirectly trained in conservation activities in tree enumeration exercises and encouraged the community to plant more trees.

She, therefore, appreciated the community for donating 1,600 hectares of land for the conservation of trees and charged them to do more to protect their environment.

Also speaking, a representative of the community, Madakin-Arikya, Mr. Ibrahim Ali, appreciated the organisation for training and providing the beneficiaries with gas cylinders/ burners to enable them to conserve the trees in their locality.

“Today is my day and I am very happy that this organization has successfully trained our women and is distributing gas cylinders/ burners to the beneficiaries. I will ensure that the items given are used judiciously,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke, Mrs. Hauwa Hamidu and Hasiya Isa, thanked the organisers for the training and for assisting them with items that would help in the conservation of the environment.

They promised to make judicious use of gas cylinders and burners.

Voice of Nigeria reports that the beneficiaries were also trained by men of the Fire Service on how to use the gas cylinders/burners. SIGF included this component in the interest of the safety of the women and their households.

Lateefah Ibrahim