By Khalid Idris Doya The Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Nigeria (ASPIRE) project has distributed start-up kits to 78 members ...
By Khalid Idris Doya
The Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Nigeria (ASPIRE) project has distributed start-up kits to 78 members of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Bauchi State as part of efforts to empower adolescent girls and young women with sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The initiative is aimed at helping beneficiaries build skills, confidence, financial independence, and economic resilience through small-scale businesses and vocational enterprises.
Speaking during the distribution of Income Generating Activity (IGA) start-up kits on Tuesday at the Plan International field office in Bauchi, the national project manager of ASPIRE project, Murtala Bello, said adolescent girls and young women often face multiple challenges that limit their opportunities, confidence, safety, and participation in economic and community life.
He explained that the beneficiaries underwent structured training in entrepreneurship and business development in various trades, including tailoring, hairdressing, restaurant and food services, shoemaking, graphic design, baking, photography, and makeup artistry, among others.
According to him, the VSLA platforms were strengthened to promote savings culture, financial literacy, peer learning, leadership, and collective support among adolescent girls and young women.
Bello stated that the ASPIRE Project, supported by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Plan International Nigeria in Bauchi and Sokoto states, seeks to address barriers affecting adolescent girls and young women, particularly in the areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), gender inequality, harmful social norms, mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, and economic exclusion.
He noted that through the VSLA approach, participants acquired knowledge and skills in budgeting, savings, marketing, entrepreneurship, financial management, business planning, and decision-making.
"The project also integrates awareness on gender-based violence prevention and response, referral pathways, SRHR information, and psychosocial wellbeing, ensuring that economic empowerment is linked to broader wellbeing, safety, and agency," he said.
Bello described the distribution of start-up kits as a major milestone in the project’s economic empowerment strategy, explaining that it followed a gender-responsive market assessment, entrepreneurship training, business plan development, and a structured grant funding process designed to support viable businesses.
He added that the intervention highlights ASPIRE's contribution to women's economic empowerment, financial inclusion, livelihood development, and resilience-building, while demonstrating the value of integrating economic empowerment with SRHR, gender equality, protection, mental health, and psychosocial support.
According to him, the programme has also strengthened stakeholder visibility around the project's achievements and showcased practical pathways for improving the confidence, livelihoods, and decision-making capacity of adolescent girls and young women within households and communities.
Bello further explained that the distributed kits were tailored to approved business plans and identified market opportunities following a gender-responsive market assessment conducted within local communities.
He said the intervention has improved participants' financial literacy, savings culture, business planning abilities, and confidence to pursue income-generating activities, while the VSLA model has strengthened peer support, leadership, and participation of young women in household and community decision-making.
The distributed kits included tailoring equipment for 20 beneficiaries, photography tools for 10, graphic design kits for 10, baking equipment for 10, hairdressing kits for eight, restaurant service materials for 10, shoemaking kits for four, and makeup kits for 12 beneficiaries.
Bello emphasised that the ASPIRE Project adopts an integrated programming model that recognises that empowering adolescent girls and young women requires multiple forms of support, including access to information, safety, confidence, social support, and economic opportunities.
He added that through the VSLA groups, beneficiaries are gaining financial literacy, business skills, leadership opportunities, peer support, and access to information on SRHR, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), and general wellbeing.
Also speaking, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Mrs. Lydia Haruna Tsammani, commended Plan International and Global Affairs Canada for implementing an integrated approach that connects SRHR, gender equality, mental health, and economic empowerment to address challenges affecting adolescent girls and young women.
Represented by the Acting Director of Women Affairs, Hadiza Ahmad, the commissioner said the ministry played a major role in establishing the ASPIRE VSLA groups.
She disclosed that through the partnership, 10 Women Development Officers, two ministry staff, and 14 young female facilitators were trained, leading to the establishment of more than 30 VSLA groups across the 10 implementing local government areas.
She noted that the VSLA platforms have strengthened financial literacy, savings culture, entrepreneurship, and business management skills among women and girls, while supporting viable income-generating activities.
According to her, the project has also reduced vulnerabilities through awareness creation on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence prevention, response, and referral pathways.
"Many women and girls have testified that these groups have helped them understand the importance of joint decision-making and empowered them socially and economically," she said.
The traditional title holder, Sulaiman Ahmad Bashir, Dan Iyan Bauchi, commended the initiative, describing it as a positive development for women and girls in the state.
He advised beneficiaries not to sell the items distributed to them but to use the tools effectively to strengthen their businesses and improve their economic conditions.
Some beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the ASPIRE Project, noting that the vocational training and support had improved their economic contributions to their families and enhanced harmony in their homes.
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