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SFC Academy empowers vulnerable women, PWDs through waste-to-wealth initiative in Kano

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Women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Kano were on Wednesday trained on plastic waste recycling and empowered with tools and cash support as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and improve livelihoods among vulnerable groups.

The training, organised by SFC Training Academy in partnership with the Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim Foundation, Vulnerable People Support and Development Initiative, and Dube Charity Foundation, focused on turning plastic waste into economic opportunities for women, widows and persons living with disabilities.

Speaking during the event, the Coordinator of SFC Training Academy, Dr. Sani Hussaini, said the initiative was designed to integrate persons with disabilities into the circular economy through practical recycling skills.

According to him, many people living with disabilities are often excluded from empowerment programmes despite their potential to contribute meaningfully to society.

“We are here today to train participants on waste-to-wealth initiatives. These participants are largely drawn from persons with disabilities because they have often been left behind in many programmes,” he said.

Dr. Hussaini explained that the organisers secured support from partners and sponsors, including the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim, who sponsored participants with working tools and financial support.

“He provided weighing scales, hand gloves, face masks, reflective vests and also donated N20,000 cash support to each participant. This gesture is highly commendable and the participants are very happy,” he added.

He noted that although the organisers initially planned for about 70 beneficiaries, over 135 people turned up for the training, describing the response as encouraging.

The coordinator further revealed that the academy plans to establish a database of participants and support the best-performing beneficiaries by enrolling their children back in school.

He added that the organisers also intend to connect participants with companies such as Coca-Cola to enable them combine recycling with small-scale beverage businesses for sustainable income generation.

Dr. Hussaini said the initiative was also aimed at addressing economic hardship by providing vulnerable persons with alternative means of livelihood.

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“If someone can sell just a few packs of water daily and retain the plastic bottles for recycling, they can earn a sustainable income monthly. This can significantly improve their standard of living,” he said.

He added that the academy was established to equip youths and vulnerable persons with practical skills in cleaning, recycling, pest control and waste management.

“We want to take youths off the streets by providing this kind of training. We are calling on meaningful individuals and organisations to partner with us so that we can scale up these interventions,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the founder of the Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim Foundation, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Muhammad Nazir Zakari described the initiative as timely and impactful.

He said the training was particularly important because it targeted persons with special needs drawn from different communities and equipped them with skills and empowerment support to start small businesses and sustain themselves.

“The training and empowerment will help them to start businesses and become self-reliant. This is not the first time the foundation has supported initiatives like this,” he said.

Zakari expressed excitement over the turnout of participants, noting that the gathering reflected growing awareness among persons with disabilities about opportunities for self-development and economic empowerment.

He commended Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim for his commitment to environmental sustainability, social inclusion and improving the lives of vulnerable people through consistent support for empowerment programmes.

Also speaking, the Director of Persons with Special Needs at the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Binta Bala, described the programme as a laudable initiative capable of reducing hardship and promoting inclusion.

“To be sincere, this is a very good initiative. If properly utilised, it will reduce hardship, create jobs and strengthen inclusion of persons with disabilities in society,” she said.

Dr. Bala stated that economic empowerment helps reduce discrimination against persons with disabilities by enabling them to participate actively in community life.

“When your economy is balanced, you can freely mingle with anyone. Nobody will stigmatise or discriminate against you,” she added.

She noted that the Kano State Government had introduced several laws and policies to support the welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities, including empowerment and advocacy programmes.

The director recalled that the ministry recently collaborated with a development partner to train 169 women on recycling and waste-to-wealth initiatives, including 26 women with disabilities who were supported with starter packs and financial inclusion services.

In his remarks, Mustapha Usman, a coordinator with the Vulnerable People Support and Development Initiative and member of the National Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities, expressed appreciation to the organisers.

“This is something very tangible that we have rarely seen in our community. It is an empowerment that can make people with special needs self-reliant and successful,” he said.

He prayed for continued support for organisations and individuals working to uplift vulnerable persons in society.

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Mahanga TV appoints former AREWA24 staff Zuwairiyah Girei as MD

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Mahanga TV, a Kano-based television station, has appointed former AREWA24 staff member Zuwairiyah Adamu Girei as its new Managing Director, bringing her more than 14 years of experience in Hausa-language television production and broadcasting to the organisation.

Girei was formally welcomed into her new role during a reception held at Mahanga TV’s premises in Kano on Monday, November 2, 2026, marking a new phase in the organisation’s growthe barely three months after its launch.

Speaking at the reception, Girei expressed excitement over her appointment, describing her experience at AREWA24 as a significant milestone in her professional journey.

She said she would draw on the knowledge and experience acquired during her time at the television station to strengthen Mahanga TV and drive it towards greater achievements.

“All the experience I have at AREWA24, I will bring here, and I think I will do extraordinary because I know what I have learnt there. I pray that we will see success beyond our expectations,” she said.

Outlining her vision for Mahanga TV, the new Managing Director said the organisation would look beyond Northern Nigeria and target audiences across Africa and the rest of the world.

She identified the large Hausa-speaking population as a major opportunity for the industry, noting that despite the challenges facing Hausa-language broadcasting, the sector has a substantial audience.

“We have over 60 million Hausa speakers in Nigeria, so I think we have a target audience we have to try to reach,” she said.

Girei said her leadership would focus on understanding audience expectations, introducing improvements and positioning Hausa productions for international recognition.

“Our thinking is pan-African; our thinking is the world. Our thinking is now how can Hausa film reach the Oscars. That is the thinking,” she said.

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Looking ahead to the next decade, she expressed her ambition to see Mahanga TV secure three to four Academy Awards, earn international recognition and become a household name among viewers across different age groups.

She said she envisioned a future where Mahanga TV would be the preferred television platform in homes, with both adults and children identifying with its programmes.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mahanga TV, Nuhu Abdullahi Balarabe, said Girei’s appointment was informed by the organisation’s rapid growth and the need for experienced leadership to sustain its progress.

Balarabe explained that he initially served as both Managing Director and CEO but decided to appoint a dedicated Managing Director to oversee the organisation’s daily operations and provide the leadership required to sustain its expanding activities.

He said the organisation needed someone who could provide consistent leadership and maintain its momentum as it continued to grow.

“She is well experienced, and I’m sure she will use that experience to take the organisation further from where it is,” he said.

Balarabe disclosed that Mahanga TV had recorded progress beyond its initial expectations within three months of launching, attributing the achievement to the dedication of its staff, consultants and advisers.

He said the organisation was expanding its content offerings through original productions and partnerships with independent producers to provide audiences with engaging programmes.

He also urged viewers to continue supporting the station and sharing feedback through its social media platforms and WhatsApp channel, assuring them that the organisation remained open to suggestions as it worked to improve its services.

Reaffirming the organisation’s broader ambition, Balarabe said Mahanga TV was committed to ensuring that Hausa stories, culture and experiences reached audiences across the world.

“We have a beautiful tale happening in Northern Nigeria, and I believe it is only we that can tell our own story. We want to make sure all our stories are told and they reach every part of the world,” he said.

Also speaking, Mahanga TV’s Creative Director and Brand Manager, Abdulbasit Abanikanda, described Girei’s appointment as a timely development that would strengthen the organisation’s management structure and provide better direction for its expanding workforce.

Abanikanda recalled that Mahanga TV started with a team of just three people but had since grown considerably, making the appointment of an experienced manager necessary to coordinate its activities.

He expressed confidence in Girei’s ability to advance the station’s creative vision, noting that her ambition of taking Hausa stories to audiences across the world aligned with the organisation’s objectives.

With Girei’s appointment, Mahanga TV aims to consolidate its early progress, strengthen its content production and expand the reach of Hausa storytelling, creating opportunities for Northern Nigeria’s stories, culture and creative talent to gain wider national and international recognition.

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Kano Governor Nominates Ex- Speaker, Spokesperson as Commissioners

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has nominated his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, and a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Balarabe Sa’idu Gani, for appointment as commissioners.

The governor has forwarded their names to the Kano State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The Assembly is expected to screen the nominees on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

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In a statement issued on Monday, the Assembly’s spokesperson, Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, said the legislature had received a formal communication from Governor Yusuf requesting the screening of the two nominees.

He added that the exercise would be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Gani served as Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007, while Bature currently serves as the governor’s spokesperson.

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2027: Rep Abubakar Kabir Bichi holds strategic meeting with Kano lawmakers

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The Chairman, House of representatives committee on appropriations Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, has convened a meeting of all APC State Assembly Members and 40 Candidates in the upcoming 2027 General elections, led by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore.

Crucial issues were discussed on how best to coordinate their campaigns programs to deliver the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

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The meeting was held at his Bichi office, Sunday evening 1st November 2026.

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