Beatrice Gondyi, Bauchi
Sixty five women leaders from three local government areas of Bauchi State have received practical training designed to strengthen their financial management skills, improve accountability in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), and help them turn savings groups into new business opportunities.
The training was organised under a project funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by ActionAid Nigeria through Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI), bringing together 65 VSLA women leaders from Alkaleri, Bauchi and Ganjuwa Local Government Areas of Bauchi State.
Held from August 24 to 26, 2026, the three-day financial literacy and business management training focused on equipping the women with practical skills in financial management, entrepreneurship, leadership and accountability.
Each day was dedicated to one Local Government Area, with facilitators combining slide presentations, group discussions, practical exercises and experience-sharing sessions to ensure participants gained both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills.
The first day in Alkaleri focused on financial literacy, particularly budgeting, savings management and record-keeping.
For one VSLA leader in Alkaleri, Rosemary, keeping track of group contributions was once largely a matter of memory.
“I had always relied on my memory to track group contributions, but after the training, I feel confident using simple record books to ensure transparency,” the participant said.
Participants were taken through practical methods of documenting contributions, managing savings and preparing simple budgets. Women who had previously experienced difficulties with basic record-keeping were able to practise the skills and demonstrate improved understanding during the exercises.
The second day, held in Bauchi, shifted attention from managing money to creating opportunities through business.
Participants learned basic business management principles, including planning, marketing and customer relations. They also worked in groups to identify viable business ideas that could generate income within their communities.
One group developed a plan for a cooperative poultry project, which members said they intend to pilot in their community.
The exercise demonstrated how VSLAs can serve as more than platforms for saving and accessing loans.
With improved financial knowledge, collective planning and accountability, the groups can also provide a foundation for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
The final day in Ganjuwa brought together lessons from the financial literacy and business management modules, with additional emphasis on leadership, accountability and the sustainability of VSLA structures.
Participants openly discussed challenges they face in managing group funds and shared experiences on how poor financial management can undermine trust among members.
The discussions also enabled the women to identify practical ways of preventing financial mismanagement and strengthening accountability within their associations.
“We discussed the challenges we face in managing group funds and how the new knowledge can help us prevent mismanagement,” participants said during the experience-sharing session.
A verbal pre-test and post-test were conducted to assess participants’ understanding and measure the learning progress achieved during the training.
The active participation and enthusiasm of the women emerged as one of the major highlights of the programme, with participants engaging fully in practical exercises, group discussions and experience-sharing.
The training objectives included building the capacity of VSLA leaders in budgeting, record-keeping and savings management; enhancing their knowledge of business planning, marketing and customer relations; and strengthening community ownership and sustainability of VSLA structures.
At the conclusion of the programme, manuals and practical toolkits were distributed to the 60 women leaders to support continued learning and help them apply the knowledge acquired within their respective communities.
The intervention is expected to strengthen VSLA structures, improve financial accountability and enhance entrepreneurial skills among women in Alkaleri, Bauchi and Ganjuwa LGAs.
For the women, however, the real test begins after leaving the training room.
It will be seen in the ledgers they keep, the savings they protect, the businesses they establish and the financial decisions they make.
For the Alkaleri participant, it may begin with replacing memory with a simple record book.
For the women in Bauchi, it could mean turning their poultry business plan into a functioning cooperative enterprise.
And in Ganjuwa, it could mean stronger accountability in the management of collective funds.
These may appear to be small changes, but for women whose savings support their families and businesses, they could become increased household income, stronger livelihoods and more resilient communities.
The three-day training may have ended on August 26, but for the 65 women leaders, the real opportunity lies in turning the lessons learned into lasting financial discipline, viable businesses and stronger community-based savings structures.
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