“The essence is to make them to be dependent of themselves like every other businessmen and women across the globe.”

Pastor Buru with a female victim of B/Haram

The Christian cleric, who visited River Kaduna with teams of Muslim and Christian scholars to donate cash to some of the selected women refugees, also met and interacted with other fishermen in the area, and held dialogue with them on the importance of promoting peaceful co-existence, religious tolerance and better understanding among different faith organisations.

He also appealed to all the fishermen to immensely cut down prices of their fresh fish from the River so as to enable the women sell at affordable price to their customers.

“Recession is real; every family man must go back to business, in order to meet up, and that is why we are encouraging the female refugees to re-dedicate their time in learning other skills and businesses, to take care of their families.”

Pastor Buru said there is need to support most of the female refugees with some little capital, in order to encourage them to start a good business that could change their lives for better, and reduce over-dependence on all sorts of humanitarian assistance that is coming from national and international communities.

He noted that most of the female refugees that are currently living in some parts of the northern states were already into selling of fish business at their home state, Borno, adding that supporting them with some little capital would surely boost their morale for engaging in the fish business and other sundry businesses that could enable them cater for their children’s needs, including their education.

Pastor Buru then called on the 19 Northern states’ philanthropists, Northern Governors Forum, Northern Senators, religious bodies, “JNI & CAN,” unions of tertiary institutes’ lecturers.

He also enjoined northerners to form a Foundation capable of supporting the need and demand of North-East IDPs and also in training most of their youth on other various skilled acquisitions.

Responding, Mama Aisha from Gamboring Gala of Borno state, and a beneficiary, thanked Pastor Buru for assisting many refugee women with capital to start fish business. “Indeed, starting selling fish business will help me in providing food and paying house rent for my children, and also supporting them to have quality education like any other child.”

Mama Aisha said, “This is the season of having many fresh fish from river, as the rain has started going, and normally most of us are into selling fish business in our former territory – from Baga to other places – before the sudden attack of Boko Haram 10 years back.”

Additionally, Mama Aisha also said that, “Most of the women that are staying in Kaduna and other parts of the north have become widows as a result of Boko Haram that killed their men,” she said, stressing that there are over 9 children that are now staying with her; and without doing any business, their lives will be in danger as there is no one now that is supporting them with anything to eat.

Mama Aisha called on Nigerians to help IDPs and also introduce various skilled programs so as to help them fight poverty, hunger and unemployment, which are ills disturbing women refugees that are now living in various northern Nigerian states. She added that, “We need more capital to start other businesses so that we can take over fish farming business in Nigeria.”

EXCERPT AND SOURCE: www.kingdomnewsng.com