Rural Women in Nigeria Equipped with Skills in Catholic Nun’s Initiative to Curb Hunger, Promote Interfaith Dialogue

A major highlight of the program was the empowerment of rural women through skills acquisition and resource distribution.

 “We trained 50 participants today, while 20 were empowered. Thirteen were trained in pastry making, four were given wheat barrels, and three received grinding machines,” Sr. Martina said.

Describing the impact of the initiative to the beneficiaries, the Catholic Nun said, “Some of the elderly women were almost shedding tears, grateful that God had answered their prayers and lifted them from a poverty condition to a meaningful state where they could now take care of their families.”

Sr. Martina expressed deep gratitude to those who supported the event, particularly the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Mercy Congregation. “I extend special thanks to the founder of this project for continuously supporting the religious in empowering people. There are still many who couldn’t benefit due to a lack of funds, and I hope that in the future, more support will be provided,” she said.

The Nigerian Catholic Nun went on to emphasize the link between economic stability and peace, saying, “You cannot say you are at peace when you are always angry with your brother because of hunger. No food, no peace.”

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“If a husband has no job and the wife is struggling alone, can there be peace in that home? No!” she said, and urged young people to engage in productive activities instead of resorting to crime. 

“Any little crime in a community, you find unemployed youths involved. This is why we came together to discuss how to live in peace. Where there is peace, there is always development,” she said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, particularly in the northern region, Sr. Martina underscored the connection between economic hardship and violence. 

“There is a great relationship between poverty and insecurity. A hungry man is an angry man,” she said.

She explained how desperation and hunger can drive people to criminal activities. 

“When people are hungry, you cannot tell them to wait while food is being stored for a later date. They will break into storage places, leading to anarchy, confusion, and chaos. This fuels insecurity, not only in our country but also within our communities,” Sr. Martina said.

She lamented, “Many are on the streets begging. Some are disabled; others have young children, sitting in wheelchairs, pleading for support just to make a living. Some even scavenge thrown-away beans to have something to eat. Yet, these people belong to our country, our community, our society.”

With Nigeria experiencing severe economic difficulties, Sr. Martina appealed to the government to intensify efforts to alleviate poverty. 

“I appeal to the government to open their eyes to see the cries and agony of the people. Many cannot afford even two meals a day, let alone three. The government must step in to improve their lives,” she said.

While acknowledging some government efforts to tackle poverty, she emphasized that more needs to be done. 

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“I pray that today’s empowerment initiative opens the eyes of the government to do more. If we take care of our people, our country will be at peace and people will be happy.”

Beyond government intervention, Sr. Martina encouraged individuals and communities to help those in need. 

“If you look around, you will always find poor people near you. A little help can make a significant difference in their lives,” she told ACI Africa on February 11.

Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Journalist with great enthusiasm and interest for Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria. He has vast experience in Print,  Electronic and Multi-Media Production.