Group Empowers Youth, Women with Cash Grants, Entrepreneurial Skills

Group Empowers Youth, Women with Cash Grants, Entrepreneurial Skills

No fewer than 110 youths, women, and less privileged have benefitted from the empowerment grant program of the Chamba Cultural Development Association (CCDA).

The program was supported by General TY Danjuma Foundation to inculcate in the beneficiaries the spirit of self-help and self-reliance, for the socio-economic growth of Chamba people both in Nigeria and in the diaspora.

Speaking at a one-day program, themed: ‘General TY Danjuma Poverty Alleviation/Empowerment Program’ in Abuja, Mr. Polycarp Kaigama, the National President of the association, said the objective is to kickstart the economic prosperity and development amongst its people to foster unity.

He said the workshop is also to protect and promote Chamba institutions and cultural values to enhance the economic well-being of indigent Chamba.

Kaigama noted that with the natural resources endowed with the Chamba people and their land, there is no reason to suffer any economic backwardness.

According to him, “Unhappily there are some unfortunate ones who have not made it for some reasons beyond their control. Similar situations replicate themselves in the private sector hence we have not been able to produce captains of industries. Those who have not succeeded find life very difficult as they face the problems of maintaining their families.”

He urged other well-meaning individuals both retired civil servants and those in service to find ways for attracting support to CCDA.

He however called on Chamba diasporans to de-emphasize things that divide them and yet engage in constructive criticism of one another.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice President, CCDA, DCP Haruna B. Sambo (Rtd) stated that their ancestors had the vision of an egalitarian Chamba nation whose citizens were in control of their destinies to the extent of shaping their future and dictating the pace and direction of developments in their community, state and country.

His word, “However, contrary to this aspiration the Chamba nation is gradually losing control of its social, political, and economic spheres of influence, and facing the grave consequence of sliding into marginalization, irrelevance, obscurity, and exclusion.

“This development is a clear signal to concerned Chamba sons and daughters to get our acts together, and come up with strategies, interventions, or remedial measures to ameliorate the current socioeconomic downturn in Chamba land.”

PRNigeria reports that the group is made up of Ganye, Jada, and Toungo as well as some parts of Fufore and Mayo-Belwa Local Government Areas of Adamawa while also in Taraba state, which includes Dakka, Bali, Takum, Gashaka, Donga, Wukari, Kashimbila, and Chanchagi.