Eighteen rescued Chibok schoolgirls have graduated from a vocational skills acquisition programme organised by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, receiving starter kits and ₦1 million grant each to support their businesses.
Key Highlights:
- 18 rescued Chibok girls completed vocational training.
- Each received starter kits and ₦1 million to start a business.
- The government praised their resilience and pledged continued support.
- Another 33 girls will begin vocational training soon.
- Parents also received cash grants and empowerment items.
The graduation ceremony marked another milestone in the rehabilitation and empowerment of the young women, who were among the schoolgirls abducted by insurgents from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in 2014.
After years in captivity, the beneficiaries have continued to receive support from the federal government aimed at helping them rebuild their lives.
The graduates underwent vocational training in tailoring and catering at the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
At the close of the programme, they were presented with starter packs, including sewing machines, tailoring equipment and catering kits, alongside cash grants of ₦1 million each to establish their businesses.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, congratulated the graduates for their resilience, courage and determination despite the traumatic experiences they had endured.
She described them as strong women who have overcome enormous challenges and encouraged them to make good use of the skills, equipment and financial support provided to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The minister also commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the welfare and empowerment of the rescued Chibok girls.
She said the president has ensured that the girls’ educational expenses were fully covered and disclosed that another 33 beneficiaries would soon commence vocational training under the federal government’s sponsorship.
According to her, 12 rescued Chibok girls recently graduated from the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, and each received a ₦1 million grant to establish businesses of their choice.
She added that 21 other beneficiaries currently studying at the university under the federal government’s sponsorship are expected to graduate in 2027.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also announced support for the parents of the rescued girls, with 221 parents receiving N200,000 each.
Others were presented with empowerment items, including freezers, sewing machines, industrial sewing machines and tricycles to strengthen their businesses and agricultural activities.
Also speaking, the special assistant to the president on women affairs, described the graduates as symbols of resilience and hope.
“When I look at you, I do not see victims. I see survivors. I see entrepreneurs. I see mothers, leaders, professionals, and women whose stories are still being written. I see hope,” she said.
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She noted that although terrorism sought to destroy their dreams, it failed to break their spirit, adding that the vocational training and empowerment initiative was an investment in their future rather than an act of charity.
She urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the knowledge and starter packs they had received and become ambassadors of resilience capable of inspiring other young women facing difficult circumstances.
On behalf of the parents, Chairman of the Chibok Girls Parents Association, Yakubu Ankelai, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the minister of women affairs for their continued support, describing the empowerment programme as a life-changing intervention for both the girls and their families.
One of the beneficiaries, 28-year-old Kauna Luka, expressed excitement over the support she received, saying the grant and starter kits would enable her to establish a business, become self-reliant and provide for her baby.
