DeenSisters Initiative empowers Northern women

By Fatima Muktar

In a bid to better the livelihood of women, a Non-Governmental Organisation, DeenSisters Initiative has assisted no fewer than 80 underprivileged women in Northern Nigeria with various items, trainings and cash to do business.

This was disclosed in a statement by the organisation and made available to PM NEWS Nigeria.

Leader of the Initiative, Halima Bello Damagum, noted that the empowerment activities were borne out of the resolve to bring to bear the teachings of deen by providing succour to the needy, including changing the narrative of Muslim women.

Millions have been displaced and suffer inhuman conditions in northern Nigeria, due to insecurity, kidnapping, and herdsmen and farmer/dwellers’ duels, with women and children the most vulnerable.

Giving a scorecard of the DeenSisters Initiative, Halima stated, “About 70-80 women have been empowered. One of our beneficiaries, Maman Wasila, was assisted to start a groundnut oil business within her locality in Borno State in 2018, now she is doing so well. She ventured into making different groundnut snacks, and brings us some of these in gratitude.

Most interestingly, she said Wasila “even teaches others the groundnut business; empowering them with the skills to start up and be successful.”

She explained that the Initiative was about building a community of deen-striving sisters that would give back to their community.

“To help more needy people in our community, not only with a source of livelihood, but also with the support that will guide their faith by providing teaching centres that cater to both.”

While noting that the template for the Muslim woman is based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, Damagum stressed that DeenSisters Initiative was also meant to showcase the true identity of Muslim women.

According to the spokesperson, the Initiative “is about guiding (our sisters) to see how beautiful the deen of Islam is, thereby enabling them to be proud of their Muslim identity.

“This is by establishing a strong sisterhood so that Muslim women in Nigeria can easily get any of their deen-related problems solved through their network of sisters, and creating a community of givers who find joy in helping others through emphasizing those aspects of the deen.”

The DeenSisters Initiative was established in 2012 by a group of seven undergraduates of the University of Maiduguri to provide succour to the needy.