Some Bakassi female returnees in Cross River, currently camped in Akwa Ikot Eyo Edem, Akpabuyo Local Government Area, say they have gained more respect in their community.
They made the expression on Friday when an NGO, Care for Social Welfare International (CASWI) distributed okra, cucumber and pumpkin seeds to them.
The women could not be camped with other returnees at Ekpri obutong due to lack of space.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Arit Friday, a group leader, said that women in the camp had established cooperative societies to enable them save money to begin their own businesses.
She commended CASWI for distributing the seeds, and said that the gesture would be of immense support to them as the farming season begins.
Friday urged the organisation to always come to their aid through empowerment initiatives that would make them to become self-reliant.
The women opening up the pumpkin pods to get the seeds which will be shared amongst them for planting
Another group leader, Mrs Blessing Ekpenyong, commended the group for training the women on cucumber and pumpkin cultivation before distributing the seeds.
”The training was a preparatory class for us. We shall ensure proper cultivation of these seeds so that the harvest will be good,” she said.
She said that the women in the camp needed skills acquisition training so that they could establish their own businesses.
Mr Ifeanyi Damian, CASWI Project Manager, said the essence of the project was to empower women and to enable them to have a voice in their community.
”We are not stoping after this distribution, we are returning in three weeks time to inspect the farms, we want to see how well they are doing,” he said.
Damian also said that CASWI would soon train women of the community on soap making and give them starter packs to begin operations.
The CASWI empowerment initiative started in 2022 with funds from Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund.
CASWI and its partners had earlier inaugurated a ‘Garri’ processing plant in Ekpri obutong IDP Camp.
