Katsina: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has empowered 95,556 adolescent girls and boys in Katsina State with financial literacy, safe spaces, and vocational skills. Mr. Muntaka Muhammad-Mukhtar, Education Specialist at UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, made this announcement during a community town-hall meeting in Katsina.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the gathering aimed to assess and consolidate the achievements of the Reaching and Empowering Adolescent Girls in NorthWest Nigeria (REACH) program. Muhammad-Mukhtar highlighted that the initiative has been operational in six Local Government Areas (LGAs) within the state over the past two years. The targeted LGAs include Katsina, Kafur, Kankara, Rimi, Baure, and Mani, with the primary objective of enhancing school enrollment, retention, and completion rates.
The beneficiaries have acquired skills such as knitting, crochet, henna design, cap making, and throw pillow creation, equipping them to pursue various career paths. Ngozi Izuora-Songu, UNICEF Adolescent Development Specialist, emphasized that the program particularly benefited out-of-school girls and survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), providing them with a foundation for income generation. The acquired vocational skills are aligned with local market demands, enhancing the marketability of their products in both local and urban settings.
Additionally, medical test kits were distributed to six health centers across three LGAs, enhancing local healthcare capacity to support GBV survivors. Izuora-Songu mentioned that over 150 traditional and religious leaders, along with law enforcement personnel, were sensitized on child protection and GBV through various training sessions. These engagements have bolstered community responsiveness to GBV incidents and strengthened child protection structures.
Health workers received training on the proper use of these kits, enabling effective screenings for sexually transmitted infections and injuries, thereby facilitating timely medical interventions for survivors. The town-hall meetings across the six LGAs served as platforms to evaluate barriers to transitioning adolescent girls from primary to secondary school, while fostering dialogue among key stakeholders. This inclusive approach allowed communities to reflect on the impact of the REACH program interventions.
