United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with Jigawa state government, has commenced the training of 600 women in environmental sustainability, through waste to wealth initiative.
The Managing Director, Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) Mr Adamu Sabo, made this known at the commemoration of the International Women’s Day and the commencement of the training.
“We are turning challenges into opportunities and with UNICEF’s support, we are training 600 women across Jigawa State and with possibility of scaling up these efforts.
“We want to ensure that more women in Jigawa State can participate and benefit from the upcycling and waste-to-wealth programs,” Sabo explained.
He said that the occasion was not only to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women, but also highlight the role they play in environmental sustainability and economic development.
Alh. Adamu Sabo, MD Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA)
According to him, “The inclusion of women in environmental sustainability is not just a matter of equity but a necessity for creating sustainable solutions.
“Women are agents of change in their families, communities and beyond and when empowered, they will implement practices that foster environmental conservation, waste reduction and climate resilience,” the MD said.
He stressed that through upcycling and the Waste to Wealth Initiative, they can provide women with the chance to protect the environment and also secure a better future for their families.
Sabo explained that despite global challenges inin waste management, and the improper waste disposal that threatens the environment, there still lies opportunities to convert waste into wealth.
The training he said, will integrate upcycling waste into marketable products, ensuring both economic empowerment and environmental impact.
The initiative according to him, bridges the gender gap by providing marketable skills in waste upcycling, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
This he added, will enable young women contribute to both household income and national economic growth.
Furthermore, the MD disclosed that the training will leverage on UNICEF initiated ptoject “Youth Opportunities Marketplace” (YOMA), an innovative digital platform ecosystem, that connects young people to learning, earning, and social impact opportunities.
Through the initiative he stressed, youth can access online courses, mentorship, skill-building challenges, and employment opportunities.
“Yoma will equip young women with digital and entrepreneurial skills, connecting them to real world economic opportunities beyond their immediate environment,” Sabo highlighted.
The programme according to Sabo, was also part of UNICEF’s global Green Rising initiative, that aims to mobilize youth-led climate action through volunteering, green skills development, and environmental advocacy.
In Nigeria he revealed, Green Rising aims to plant 100,000 trees, recycle 100,000 kg of plastic waste, and mobilize 100,000 youth for climate action by 2025.
“This initiative directly contributes to Nigeria’s environmental sustainability goals, fostering climate-smart entrepreneurship among young people, particularly women,” the MD noted.
Meanwhile, he commended stakeholders that supported the initiative and they include Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) and Jigawa state Governor Malam Umar Namadi for their unwavering support.
He retreited the Agency’s commitment to ensuring women inclusion, saying that they have embraced the Waste to Wealth Initiative, to transform waste into valuable and marketable products.
In her remarks while declaring the training open, Jigawa state First lady, Mrs Amina Namadi, lauded the efforts of the agency and other stakeholders that provided support for the training.
She said that women inclusion in environmental sustainability will surely provide a visible impact not only in Jigawa but globally.
Mrs Namadi called on the participants to utilise the opportunity and change their lives for the better, in addition to contributing to sanitising their environment.
The theme for the 2025 International Women’s Day is, “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” which calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all where no one is left behind.
The year 2025, according to un.org, is a pivotal moment as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaratiom and Platfork for Action.
The document, is a progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women and girls’ rights worldwide, that transformed the women’s rights agenda in terms of legal protection.
It also provided access to services, youth engagement and change in social norms and stereotypes.
