Women
Begin to Market their Power
By
Zarina Geloo
"We have taken young girls
off the street and into the class room, the business
world and employment sector, all in one sweep,"
the glamourous Oluwatoyin Asuni,
says of her organization, the Centre for Rehabilitation
and Training (CERAT)".
|
|
TENDING THEIR stands at the Commonwealth Peoples Market,
the Nigerian women associations present a formidable array
of female power, as they “sell” their array of
wares: empowerment, confidence and solidarity.
They are a no nonsense lot, with their colourful traditional
garb and strident speech, these women by their own definition
are defeating ignorance, disease and want.” nestled
behind the main Commonwealth Peoples Forum site at Yar’
Aduar.
“Feminisation of poverty and paupersisation of women
can have no place in the sane society or in our modern world,”
Alhaja Agoro from the Country Women Association of Nigeria
(COWAN) told visitors to the stand on Tuesday
Pulling her wrapper snugly around her waist she proceeds
to give a proud account of an organization which from its
humble beginnings was dogged by unbelief, “because people
generally believe that women cannot do anything by themselves.”
COWAN was established in 1982 with its main goal to empower
women to get out of their poverty without abrogating African
traditional norms and practices.
One of the major focus is the African Traditional Responsive
Banking, (ATRB), a unique savings backed credit system that
merges and refines traditional and formal practices to help
women attain credit, save and create wealth.
“As you know traditional banks have lending policies
which women cannot meet.” Women fell back to informal
saving and credit societies which did not generate savings
enough for capital investment, so we had to do something,”
Agoro says.
The ARTB is only for COWAN members and they access the banking
service through a daily savings programme. By saving continuously
in small amounts according to their income, the women are
able to build significant savings as financial assets; leverage
their savings by accessing working capital and investment
credits to increase their productivity and profitability of
their economic activities and accumulate surplus capital beyond
that which is necessary to repay their loans.
In addition to serving as a means to capital accumulation,
the daily savings programme is the key to eventual ownership
by COWAN members of a financial institution.
“It works” Agoro says pointing at her colleagues
she adds, “ these women could not talk and look someone
in the face before, now see them, they are talking confidently
with hands on their hips, because they know who they are what
they are worth they don’t beg anybody.”
COWAM now has 7000 co operative groups and a total membership
of 260,00.
“We have taken young girls off the street and into
the class room, the business world and employment sector,
all in one sweep,” the glamourous Oluwatoyin Asuni,
says of her organization, the Centre for Rehabilitation and
Training (CERAT). Asuni who is driven by her need to give
to the community as she has given to her own children, says
CERAT takes a special interest in children in need and young
girls who have turned to commercial sex work.
Youths are taken off parks, and streets and are taught through
an adult literacy programme. The young girls are trained in
sewing, braiding, and skills that will enable them start up
businesses. Those who show aptitude are given computer and
management skills.
“We help them get jobs and provide seed money so that
they never have to sell sex again,” says Asuni.
CERAT which began two years ago, operates in the Lagos area
and so far rehabilitated 67 girls and 30 boys.
Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) is on a roll. Joy Ezilo
who heads this human rights organization says she is happy
WACOL has been able to create awareness on gender and democracy
and was especially vibrant during the just ended general and
presidential elections in Nigeria.
“While the organizations vision is to promote a democratic
society free from violence and abuse, we were very active
in getting women participate in politics.”
Ezilo said she was happy with the level of participation
of women in Nigerian elections and WACOL will assist more
potential female politicians with legal and financial aid.
A practicing lawyer, Ezilo says the organization acts as
a lobby for women’s issues particularly legislative
changes and the enforcement of legal and police protection.
WACOL also runs a shelter for battered wives and provides
sexual and reproductive health services for women and young
people.
WACOL was founded in 1997 with headquarters in Enugu and
has observer status with the African Commission on Human and
People’s Rights. The group is now networking with other
similar organisations.
|
