The Military Wives Association of Kenya (MWAK) on 9th February 2022 hosted the Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) of Nigeria in a bench-marking exercise to share ideas on possible areas of collaboration, at the International Peace Support Training Center (IPSTC) Karen, Nairobi.
Speaking at the event, MWAK Chair, Mrs. Tabitha Kibochi said her team was privileged to host NOWA, an organization with experience spanning over five decades.
She added that MWAK is yet to celebrate its first anniversary and is eager to learn from NOWA.
“This is an opportunity to benchmark since we have several things in common ranging from troops deployment in various countries leading to absentee husbands, sometimes widows, orphans and the effects it has on the military families. We are curious to know how you handle these groups,” said Mrs Kibochi.
The National President of NOWA Hajiya Gambo Nana Aishatu said the visit is part of her organization’s program of events to organize such forums annually for capacity building and development.
“Our scope is the welfare of women and children within the barracks as well as empowering women with necessary skills to foster their financial status and support capacity in their homes,” said Mrs. Gambo who has been at NOWA’s helm since February 2021.
She added that she has adopted a pet project of providing clean water to rural communities and has managed to drill 54 boreholes in various part of Nigeria.
The Liaison Officer, Lieutenant Commander Abdullahi Tahir Balarabe underscored that NOWA has established eight primary schools and four primary schools in different states in Nigeria in support of the governments and Navy’s effort of establishing affordable welfare schools.
He said that the association has two additional skills acquisition centers in Lagos and Oghara that help women and youths acquire vocational skills to enable them start small and medium enterprises.
The event was attended by MWAK and NOWA members alongside other senior officers from the two countries.
