The Federal Government of Nigeria on Friday graduated 18 rescued Chibok girls trained in the 1st batch of the vocational skills acquisition scheme.
They were presented with starter packs and cash, all worth N128.2 million each, as an entrepreneurship grant.
Speaking at the ceremony in Yola, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, minister of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, said 14 of the girls were trained in tailoring, four in catering services, and each got a million naira.
She explained that the next batch, the second batch comprising 33 of the Chibok girls, would also get a million naira each as grant for business once they graduate with starter parks.
The minister added that another 12 of the Chibok girls, who are in the graduation class of 2026 of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), would also receive a million naira each as an entrepreneurship grant.
“Also, 21 girls (another set of Chibok girls), currently in AUN, will graduate in 2027 and also to receive a million naira each for an entrepreneurship grant once they graduate.
“Their parents, 221 of them (parents of all the Chibok girls), will be given N200,000 each, eight deep freezer, 10 sewing machines, and three industrial machines to support them prosper.
“We are working to ensure that every survivor has not only the opportunity to recover but also the platform to lead, innovate, and prosper,” she said.
She called on the girls not to allow anyone to define them by what happened to them 12 years back.
“Your identity is not your pain; your identity is your purpose. The world once knew your story because of a heartbreaking event.
“From today, let the world know you because of your excellence, your achievements, your creativity, and your contributions,” she stressed.
Mr Neido Kofulto, Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs in Adamawa, appreciated the Federal Government for rescuing them from captivity and giving them an opportunity for the programme.
She said the skills would help them to be productive and self-reliant in the future.
Kofulto urged the beneficiaries to put the skills into practice with seriousness to succeed in the future.
Prof. Ibrahim Danjuma, Managing Director, Modibbo Adama University (MAU) Yola Consultancy Services, congratulated the beneficiaries that they had actively participated in the vocational training.
He expressed hope that they would become future entrepreneurs and successful businesswomen in the country.
