People With Disabilities (PWDs) have received over N100 million for self-employment under the Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS).
APPEALS is a six-year project developed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders in line with the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) 2016-2020 by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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Speaking in an interview with Reporters shortly after an interactive session between the beneficiaries and the service providers in Kaduna, the State Coordinator of APPEALS, Dr Yahaya Aminu explained that under the women and youth APPEALS project 1,700 people are expected to benefit. At the same time, 100 allocations have been reserved for people with special needs and each of them received the support of more than one million Naira.
According to him, the beneficiaries are expected to participate in poultry, rice and maize processing and aquaculture and they were all trained in those aspects in Zaria.
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He explained that APPEALS had supported the PWDs with business skills and plans, registered with Corporate Affairs Commission and also support them with the service providers.
Dr. Aminu said APPEALS wants to see people with special needs running a business, generating income and being employers of labour to also contribute to the socio-economic development of the state and the nation in general.
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Earlier, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board says the inclusion of 100 people with special needs in agric-businesses by APPEALS will make them self-employed in the state.
The Deputy Director of the Board, Mr Hassan Suleiman stated this during an interactive session between the beneficiaries and the service providers in Kaduna.
The Deputy Director explained that developing the mental and physical capacity of people with special needs would take them off the streets and be among the labour employees.
He also assured that the beneficiaries would fully utilise what they have learned during the training to improve their income, get acceptance into the societies and also be equal with anyone in their communities.
Mr. Suleiman commended APPEALS for an excellent project aimed at improving the welfare of the people with special needs to become independent in Kaduna
Also in their remarks, some of the beneficiaries, Mallam Haruna Abubakar and Rukayya Aliyu were optimistic that the objective of the project particularly for people with special needs would be achieved.