By Hosea Parah, Abuja

A Civil society organisation, The Iwuese Multipurpose Cooperative Society (IMCS), with funding support from Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and technical support from UN Women, on Tuesday commenced the training of displaced women IDPs, returnees and refugees livestock keeping on hydroponics.

Ms. Ritdimwa Doofan Orga, the Executive Director of IMCS, explained during the training in Jalingo that the idea was to ensure the internally displaced women, women IDPs returnees and refugees in Jalingo and Gassol Local Government Areas of Taraba acquired skills necessary for their early recovery.

According to her, after the four weeks of intensive training, 40 beneficiaries from the targeted local government areas would be presented with goats as an empowerment strategy to assist in the planned economic recovery for them.

She thanked WPHF for their funding support and UN Women for their technical support towards ensuring that internally displaced women, women IDPs returnees and refugees in Jalingo and Gassol Local Government Areas of the state acquired skills necessary for their early recovery.

According to her, after the four weeks intensive training on hydroponics, 40 beneficiaries from the targeted local government areas would be presented with goats as an empowerment strategy to assist in the planned economic recovery for them.

“This whole idea is to ensure the internally displaced women, women IDPs returnees and refugees in Jalingo and Gassol Local Government Areas of Taraba acquire skills necessary for their early recovery. After the four weeks intensive course on ‘Livestock Keeping using Hydroponics Method‘ we will provide feed and empower 40 participants, 20 each from Jalingo and Gassol with improved breeds of goats and 50kg of barley seeds for growing using hydroponic method.

“Hydroponics feed is cheap and easy to prepare compare to the other feeds being sold in the market. This will also help them to build capacity in professional Livestock business and leverage on the training received to become trainers in Hydroponics and livestock keeping in the local communities.

“I wish to thanked WPHF for their funding support and UN Women for their technical support towards ensuring that internally displaced women, women IDPs returnees and refugees in Jalingo and Gassol Local Government Areas of Taraba state acquire skills necessary for their early recovery,” She explained.

The state commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Hon. Mrs. Bridget Twar, while speaking at the event commended WPHF, UN Women and Iwuese for the training and support to the women IDPs, returnees and refugees, as the training and empowerment will go along way in building the beneficiaries capacity.

While pledging the support of the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Taraba State government to ensure the success and sustainability of the programme, the Commissioner urged the women to take the training seriously for the good of the state.

The Commissioner presented the Director Women Affairs in the Ministry as a liaison officer on the project who will work closely with Iwuese Multipurpose Cooperative Society to ensure the success and sustainability of the programme in the State.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Hajiya Murjanatu Abdulhamid, thanked the organisers of the training and pledged the determination of the women to put in their best for the success of the programme.