The United Nations High Commission on Refugee, UNHCR, has flagged off skills acquisition training for 1,000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Borno State, as part of its empowerment initiatives for victims of insurgency.

UNHCR Country Representative, Angele Atangana, during the flag-off ceremony, said that the programme was targeted at IDPs residing in the host communities of Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas of the state.

She said that the aim of the programme was to impact skills on the beneficiaries so they can be self-reliant when they return home, while urging the trainees to be focused during the training exercise.

Atangana also praised the State Government for its effort towards the successful take off of the training.

She said: “I am really impressed with what I have seen here today. Am particularly happy with the large turn-out of participants at the training, I want to encourage you to pay attention to your instructors through-out the training.”

Coordinator of the programme, Idris Alooma, said that the training programme was in collaboration with the State and the Federal Government to prepare the displaced persons for the eventual return to their homes following the liberation of more communities by the military.

“The programme is a joint collaboration by the UNHCR, the Borno and the Federal Government towards reintegrating IDPs back to the communities,” Alooma said.

“This is a pilot project which will last for only two weeks at the end of which the beneficiaries would have learnt a skill.”

According to the coordinator, the training will be in areas of carpentry, iron pending, tailoring, bead making, shoe making, bag making among others.

He added that: “Each of the trainees will be given a token daily as transport allowance for the duration of the training. At the end of the programme, a take-off capital will also be granted to those who complete their training successfully to enable them set up their own businesses.”