The Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) has empowered the wives and widows of officers within the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A with vocational skills and start-up kits to help them establish small-scale businesses, sustain their livelihoods, and ease the burdens created by the sacrifices of their loved ones.

Over 36 beneficiaries from the zone received start-up equipment, including sewing machines, catering tools, gas cookers, hairdressing kits, bead-making materials, gele-tying tools, and makeup kits.

In addition, widows were given extra support, which included bags of rice, groundnut oil, other food items, and a cash grant of N100,000 each.

Speaking yesterday during the presentation of support packages, business grants, and graduation of beneficiaries at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos, the National President of COWA, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, said the association’s mandate is to ensure that women attain financial stability through empowerment, capacity building, and skills acquisition to set up businesses capable of generating income to support their families.

Delivering her speech at the FOU Zone A empowerment programme themed “Empowering Women, Strengthening Families,”Adeniyi explained that the association was established to foster unity among customs officers’ wives, strengthen relationships, and promote financial independence.

“We have not given you the skills to now become proud or say, ‘I am now independent.’ I love women who can support their partners. It’s not always about the money. So please use these tools wisely and make a living out of them,” she said.

She urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the resources provided and to see themselves as active contributors to national development, noting that “to empower women is to empower a nation.”

The Comptroller of FOU Zone A, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the empowerment initiative was designed to address the economic and social challenges faced by officers’ wives by equipping them with vocational skills, supporting small-scale enterprises, and providing training in areas such as makeup and tailoring.

He stressed that the empowerment initiative was more than an act of charity but an investment in the future of families and communities.

Shuaibu highlighted the transformative power of empowerment, noting that wives who were once dependent have now become entrepreneurs, contributing meaningfully to their households and the larger society.

He added that widows and families of injured or fallen officers were not left behind, as they continue to receive targeted support to sustain their livelihoods and preserve their dignity while easing some of the burdens caused by the sacrifices of their loved ones.

Shuaibu reaffirmed FOU Zone A’s commitment to expanding the programme, strengthening its reach, and enhancing COWA’s capacity to support families.

Earlier, the Acting Chairperson of COWA FOU Zone A, Dr Juliet Eya, said the newly trained members would receive the tools and resources necessary to launch their businesses.

According to her, financial grants would also be extended to members already in business to help them expand and thrive, while widows and retired members of the association would continue to receive support to ensure that no one is left behind.

Eya commended the COWA National President’s passion, vision, and dedication to the empowerment of every member of the association across the country.