The Federal Capital Territory Administration says it has entered into partnership with a commercial bank to provide micro-credit facilities to repentant commercial sex workers trained in skills and vocations at its rehabilitation centre, to enable them start up businesses.
This is just as the administration has restated its commitment to pursue the implementation of programmes that will help advance the cause of women in the FCT.
Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat, Mrs. Blessing Onuh, stated this at the third graduation ceremony of trainees at the FCT Women Rehabilitation Centre, Sabon Lugbe, Abuja.
She said the centre which was established in 2011, has so far trained over 1000 women in various skills and vocations.
“The centre since its establishment has graduated over 1000 women who today are not only off the streets but are now living decent lives and contributing positively to the larger society,” she said.
Onuh commended the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and the Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide for their total commitment towards the implementation of people friendly programmes in the FCT, while urging the beneficiaries to consider the programme as a golden opportunity to turn their lives around for the better.
The secretary also urged them to to put the start up kits given to them to good use as the secretariat would continue to monitor their progress even after they leave the rehabilitation centre.
In her address earlier, the coordinator of the Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour, SAPCLN, Mrs. Grace Adogo said the 300 graduating trainees were made up of repentant 100 commercial sex workers while the remaining 200 were women who voluntarily registered for the programme.
A statement by the public relations officer of the secretariat, Zakari Aliyu said the women were trained in vocations such as tailoring, beads making, knitting, confectionery, tie and dye and hairdressing, and were also presented cheques of various amounts as well as starter packs of Knitting machines, Hair dryers, sewing machines and food processing implements to enable them start off their businesses.
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