Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI) has enhanced economic viability and empowerment as part of its strategic approach to combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Kano. This initiative operates through the Women Against Violence Empowered through Sustainability (WAVES) partnership with the Kano State Government, the Embassy of France in Nigeria, and other key stakeholders and has successfully empowered over 50 women in the region.
At the recent WAVES Showcase II event in Kano, Sani Mohammad, the executive director of BCAI, explained that the WAVES programme was designed in response to persistent structural challenges at the intersection of gender-based violence and economic vulnerability faced by women.
Mohammad emphasised that WAVES employs a multi-faceted approach, including economic empowerment, skill acquisition, financial literacy, and other entrepreneurship programmes, to reduce women’s vulnerability to violence.
He noted that the showcase event aimed to reflect on the training’s impact and its significance for the beneficiaries’ livelihoods as the project nears the end of its lifecycle.
He expressed satisfaction that the WAVES Phase II project has equipped 50 beneficiaries with essential skills in financial literacy, climate-smart agriculture, and business development. Additionally, the initiative has expanded its reach across communities while strengthening institutional linkages and advocacy platforms.
He commended the Embassy of France in Nigeria and AgrofixiNG for their instrumental support, which has significantly contributed to the WAVES project’s achievements.
“WAVES represents an integrated approach,” Mohammad said. “Economic strengthening is combined with GBV awareness, access to support systems, and climate-responsive livelihood strategies. This reflects a broader understanding that achieving sustainable outcomes requires coordinated and multisectoral responses rather than fragmented interventions.”
He also highlighted that community-level progress must connect with institutional advancements. The ongoing discussions surrounding the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy present a valuable opportunity to translate grassroots impact into institutional reform, underscoring the need for sustained collaboration.
Kano State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aminu Abdullahi, praised the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative’s GBV project, believing it would further complement the state’s efforts to strengthen social inclusion for women in Kano. She noted that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration has implemented targeted initiatives, including monthly financial support for 5,200 women across the 44 local government areas to bolster small-scale businesses.
Additionally, the Commissioner reported that 400 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence have received financial assistance from the state government to help them rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate productively into society.
“While these efforts demonstrate the Kano State Government’s commitment under the Kano First Agenda, addressing GBV requires a multisectoral approach,” she added. “It is essential for civil society organisations, private sector actors, and philanthropists to support and complement government interventions actively.”
In his goodwill message, Pierre-Louis Bonnel, Chargé de mission coopération technique and Programme Officer from the Embassy of France in Nigeria, stated that the French government is partnering with the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative for the WAVES Project through the French Embassy Fund for Civil Society Organisations (FEF OSC) to support Nigeria’s national priorities.
Bonnel emphasised that the French government supports the WAVES Project because it aligns with Nigeria’s efforts to combat gender-based violence, as outlined in the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act).