FIC REPORT (KADUNA STATE) – Her Excellency, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, joined stakeholders in celebrating 58 women who successfully underwent fistula repair, recovered and completed skills acquisition training at the Women and Children Shelter in Kaduna.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony Dr. Balarabe described the occasion as a celebration of healing, courage, resilience, restoration and hope, congratulating the beneficiaries for their determination and courage throughout their journey to recovery.
The Deputy Governor, who conveyed the warm greetings of Governor Uba Sani, said the intervention was particularly significant because it went beyond surgical repair to include skills acquisition and starter packs aimed at supporting the women’s economic independence and productive reintegration into their families and communities after periods of isolation.
She commended the Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Fistula Foundation, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and other development partners, as well as medical professionals, caregivers, counsellors and trainers, for their collective efforts in restoring the health, dignity and confidence of the beneficiaries.
Dr. Balarabe noted that women living with obstetric fistula should not suffer in silence, stressing the need for sustained awareness, improved access to quality maternal healthcare and timely treatment without fear, stigma or discrimination.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Senator Uba Sani, CON, to improving the health and wellbeing of women, children and other vulnerable members of society, noting that investment in women’s health and empowerment remains critical to building stronger families and healthier communities.
The Deputy Governor urged the 58 graduates not to allow the challenges of the past to define their future, but rather to become ambassadors of hope in their communities and encourage other women who may require care to seek help.
Speaking at the occasion, the commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Rabi Salisu advised the graduates to form cooperatives and organise themselves for the reason of the sustainability of their entrepreneurial efforts.
The graduation ceremony brought together the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Fistula Foundation, UNFPA and other partners in a renewed commitment to expanding access to treatment, care, empowerment and support for women across Kaduna State.
Starter packs and items distributed to the graduates included sewing machines, tampulin fish ponds, feeds, poultry inputs, popcorn making machines, grinding machines, textiles, foodsruff, and cash.
The Deputy Governor later visited patients of fistula who have just been repaired and are undergoing recovery at the Yusuf Dantsoho General Hospital, Kaduna.
Signed:
Muhammad Gwani
AD FIRC KADUNA
9th September,2026.
