Women living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Benue State are recording a significant improvement in their economic and social wellbeing, following the implementation of the Promoting Women’s Economic Resilience (POWER) project by the Rights Awareness and Community Engagement (RACE) initiative.
The intervention has provided participants with vocational skills, entrepreneurial training, and structured social support, equipping them to transition from vulnerability to sustainable livelihoods.
Speaking at a peer-learning and mentorship dialogue, RACE’s Executive Director, Ms. Evelyn Ugbe, emphasised the project’s strategic focus on partnerships with government institutions and private sector actors to facilitate beneficiaries’ access to social protection programmes.
“Today, we are here to discuss sustainability, peer learning, and evidence dissemination of the POWER project, which seeks to build the resilience of women in conflict-affected communities, particularly those in IDP camps,” Ugbe said.
The initiative has delivered measurable outcomes, including the establishment of the Tahav Women Cooperative Society and the Tahav Women Development Initiative. These platforms have strengthened women’s agency, enabling them to advocate for their rights and actively participate in community development processes.
“What began with 50 women has grown into a cooperative of 200 members, while over 1,500 women and girls have benefited from safe spaces and peer-to-peer mentoring,” Ugbe added.
In addition to economic empowerment, the POWER project addresses Gender-Based Violence (GBV) by integrating financial independence with psychosocial support, thereby reducing exposure to abuse and exploitation.
Ms. Elizabeth Jeiyol, Team Lead at GERI, explained that participants underwent intensive training in tailoring, baking, hairdressing, and soap-making over a three-month period, complemented by mentorship and ongoing monitoring.
The programme’s ripple effect is evident in the women’s collective action. Through the formation of a registered cooperative and community-based organisation, beneficiaries are extending support to other women and girls within their communities.
“They realised they should not keep the knowledge to themselves. The Tahav Women Development Initiative is helping them reach out to other women and girls, ensuring broader community impact,” Jeiyol noted.
Commending the initiative, the Director General of the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), Dr. Leo-Angelo Viashima, described the project as a replicable model for civil society organisations seeking to drive inclusive, community-led development.
