By Ahmed Attahir Gusau
Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle is the first lady and wife of the zamfara state Governor,she has been working day in day out with a view to assisting her husband to succeed in his human endeavors.
Ahmed Attahir Gusau looks at her unrelating efforts towards touching the lives of people particularly vulnerable women and children in zamfara state.
When Bello Mohammed Mattawale assumed office as Executive Governor of Zamfara State,he engaged his Wife Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle the First Lady of the state who key into how best this administration can eradicate hardship among women particularly in rural areas for them to become self reliance at their respective matrimonial homes and those who do not have husbands who will take care of them and their children.She introduced Women Empowerment Scheme (WES) which was run by her Office with Monthly Cash transfer program, from inception of the Women Empowerments Program, a total of 28, 600 women have benefitted from the program across the 14 Local Government Areas of the state with the sum of N20,000 each.
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The Women Education Support Program had contributed immensely and vigorously towards improving livelihood and economic status of women in the state. Governor Bello Matawalle in his inaugural speech on the 29th May, 2019 has declared state of emergency on education Sector with emphasis on girl child education for the children of vulnerable poor parents to have access to basic education free.
Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle an educationist, has played a vital role towards sustaining the policy as thousands out of school girls due to poverty syndrome have access to basic education across the state.
Considering the sorry state of all skills acquisition centers in the state which was abondoned by the previous government, Zamfara State Government under the leadership of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle had revived the centers with a view to enable Youths undergo some training skills acquisition Programme to get means of survival. The First Lady since inception to date, trained about 60 women on face mask and hand sanitizer production across the 3 senatorial zones, Provided 30 sewing machines and 30 hand sanitizer production materials as start-up with N10,000 cash to beneficiaries.
She also Trained 10 women on the production of reusable sanitary pads,Trained 10 women on the production of petroleum jellyProvided 10 sewing machines for tailors and 10 set of raw items for petroleum jelly production with N5,000 cash grant for start up respectively.
Marternal morality rates:
Zamfara State is one of the state previously battling with high rate of maternal and Child Mobidity and motality rates, the First Lady had introduced the new scheme tagged, First Lady Maternal and Child Care Health program, the Program is also one of her topmost priorities with free maternal delivery kits tagged as ‘Mama kit’ for pregnant women in which She distributed 10,000 kits across the 14 local Government Areas in Zamfara state.The Mama Kit bag contains unisex baby clothing, Ankara clothing for Mother, Pampers, sanitary pad , baby skin care products(Lotion , oil, Soap, Powder , petroleum jelly) , for use after child birth .
She donated relief materials to families affected by flood in Bungudu local Government rural communities.The package includes:rice, carton of noodles, mats ,buckets, washing soap, bathing soap, detergents, petroleum jelly, Ankara, etc.Facilitated the production of 10,000 reusable face mask for the state government by the trained mask up zamfara trainees.
The First Lady has always been at the fore-front in the campaign against Gender Based Violence considering the fact that She is an active member of the Nigerian Governors Wives against Gender Based Violence Forum. She is currently championing the adoption of the Child Rights Act, which due to her influence, the state government have already commenced the review of the draft document with all the relevant stakeholders for speedy approval.
The First Lady had also implemented activities in commemoration of the 16 days of activism which include, flag off of the 16 days of Activism in support and solidarity with the First Lady’s Initiatives on ending Gender Based Violence by the Executive Governor of the State, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle.
The committee comprise of all the relevant stakeholders that will push for the change towards ending violence against women and children .The First Lady is chairing the committee while the permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Women Affairs is the secretary of the committee while a road walk on the campaign for ending violence against women and Children was conducted with the Executive Governor of the State.Meeting with relevant stakeholders on the collation of a consolidated GBV data from the relevant stakeholders.
She had also Supported Zamfara Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Gusau with N300,000 for the purchase of Medical Supplies .The supply will be used for Rape victims in the state.
The Zamfara State First Lady Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle had visited about 50 almajiri schools in the 14 LGAs and donated clothes ,food items and mats and blankets as well as Participated in the National conference on repositioning the Muslim Family for National Development organized by the Nigerian supreme council for Islamic Affairs in conjunction with Aisha Buhari’s Future Assured in AbujaDistributed Rams and clothings as sallah gifts to 5,000 poor and vulnerable families during the two eid celebrations.Renovated islamiyya schools in kaura Namoda and Gusau Local Government Areas.
During the period of the Corona Virus pandemic that spanned almost throughout the year 2020 as well as ravaging the socioeconomic potentials of the entire Nigerians and all over the World, the Zamfara State First Lady had swung into action and initiated programs to alleviate the effect of the lockdown on vulnerable women and children which includes, Distribution of 10,000 Personal protective Equipment such as face masks, hand sanitizers, hand gloves and liquid soap.Sensitization leaflets in the local language and hand gloves to women within Gusau and across the 14 Local government areas in order to protect them from exposure as well as reduce the risk of spread of the virus in their respective communities.
Notwithstanding, the First Lady had also Distributed some Palliatives to women throughout the period which comprised rice, millet, sugar, cooking oil, soap and textile materials to over 10,000 families as well as face masks and hand sanitizers at orphanage , and to the public on the road, market places among others.
Commemoration of Walk away cancer dayAward Ceremony for women Achievers on International women’s Day.Facilitated a high level advocacy meeting of children with the Executive Governor to mark the children’s day celebration , as part of efforts to give children a voice.Road walk was conducted to mark the “International day on the elimination of sexual violence in conflict’’.Supported 20 widows with N20,000 financial support to mark the observance of International Widows Day.
On world Menstrual Day, Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle had also supported young school girls with sanitary pads, N5,000 cash and a health talk on hygiene during menstruation for their overall well-being in collaboration with the Northern Governors Wives Forum.Celebrated Democracy Day to measure achievements , analyze challenges and proffer solutions in governance and Marked day of the African child via social media campaign on access to child friendly justice systems in Africa.
However, in commemoration of the world humanitarian day the First Lady Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle has collaborated with the 14 LGA chairmen wives forum in Zamfara State, and donated N800,000 in cash, 200 Ankara, and 200 packs of noodles to displaced women and children in camp.
Looking at Hajiya Aisha Bello Mohammed Matawalle efforts for boosting the morale decadence of women and children in all aspects of human endeavors, the Governor’s wife is no doubt bringing positive changes as regard to poverty reduction, wealth creation and peaceful coexistence among women and human development, hence the need for her counterpart Governors Wives to copy from her for better future generations in the Country.
