The Kanawa Educational Foundation for the Disabled has empowered 350 women with disabilities in Kano State with startup kits and financial support, marking a major milestone in the SABI-WOMAN Project implemented by Kanawa with support from UNICEF through Sightsavers.
The empowerment event, which coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, was held at the Sani Abacha Youth Centre in Kano. It gathered women with disabilities from across the state, emphasizing the broad reach and inclusiveness of the programme.
In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kanawa Educational Foundation for the Disabled, Ibrahim Garba Madu, said the project had moved from education to economic empowerment after six days of intensive business training provided by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
“We are proud to share a major milestone from the SABI–WOMAN Project. After successfully completing six days of intensive business education, we have now moved to the most exciting phase of the project — economic empowerment,” Madu said.
Each participant received startup kits worth N120,000, logistics support of N10,000 to transport their products, and a cash grant of N104,526 to help grow their small and medium enterprises. They were also provided with daily breakfast and lunch throughout the programme.
Madu added that the beneficiaries would continue to receive structured mentorship and business development support to sustain and expand their ventures. “This is more than empowerment — it is dignity, inclusion, and opportunity in action,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Nasir Yakubu Rishi, PhD, a member of the Kanawa Educational Board of Advisory, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of their new skills and called on other groups and philanthropists to back similar initiatives.
“The SABI-WOMAN Project is not charity; it is an investment in ability, dignity, and economic inclusion. By empowering 350 women with disabilities with skills and startup support, we are proving that disability is not inability, and that inclusive development delivers real, sustainable results,” Rishi said.
Madu reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to creating opportunities for women with disabilities to thrive and contribute to their communities. “This project demonstrates our determination to create opportunities that empower women with disabilities and promote inclusive economic growth in Kano State and beyond,” he added.
