How TWC Project is Empowering Women and Girls in Kasuwan Magani to Break the Cycle of Violence

FEATURE!

By Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna

In a transformative gathering that spotlighted resilience, learning, and sisterhood, 30 women and girls from Kasuwan Magani community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State participated in a peer-to-peer session aimed at deepening awareness around Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) and strengthening knowledge of available referral pathways for survivors.

The session was part of the “Together We Can” (TWC) project, a three-year initiative implemented by the Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) with support from the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women (UNTF). 

The project builds on the success of the earlier “Our Safe Spaces (OSS) project” with a bold mission to support marginalised and voiceless women and girls, particularly survivors of physical, sexual, economic, emotional, and psychological violence in the crisis-affected areas of Kajuru and Chikun LGAs in Kaduna State.

Peer Education with Purpose

The peer session, held in the heart of Kasuwan Magani, brought together a diverse group of participants including survivors of violence, internally displaced persons (IDPs), indigenous women, and low-income women and girls.

This grassroots engagement employed a Training of Trainers approach transforming beneficiaries into future trainers and community advocates for change.

Speaking at the session, Juliana Joseph, Project Manager for TWC, emphasized the goal of the initiative, “The essence of this training is to test if real learning is happening and to equip these women and girls to become trainers themselves. 

“They are being trained not just to understand the different forms of violence, but also to know how to respond, cope, and seek help.”

Mrs. Julianna further explained that the peer-to-peer approach works best because the participants share similar lived experiences. 

“They understand each other’s challenges. That bond strengthens learning and makes it easier for them to support one another,” she added.

The Urgency Behind the Project

Women and girls in Kaduna State, especially in conflict-prone communities, face intersecting forms of discrimination from poverty and lack of education to systemic barriers that deny them justice and healthcare. 

The TWC project offers a survivor-centered, holistic response, empowering beneficiaries through psychosocial support, mental health care, leadership training, and economic empowerment.

The project’s overarching goal is to ensure that women and girls affected by protracted conflict—including refugees, indigenous women, and survivors of VAWG—gain resilience, livelihood, and dignity within communities that are increasingly intolerant of gender-based violence. This goal is expected to be achieved by September 2026.

As of today, the project has reached 495 direct beneficiaries—141 men and boys, and 354 women and girls. An impressive 296,544 others have been reached indirectly and through online platforms, expanding the project’s impact across borders and digital spaces.

Stories of Change and Hope

One of the peer mentors, Blessing Yusuf, gave a heartfelt testimony about her journey through the TWC program.

“Before I joined EWEI, I didn’t even know support centers like the Salama Centre existed. But today, not only do I know about them, I’ve helped other women find their way there. We’ve been taught that women can lead and now, we believe it.”

Blessing recounted an incident where a young girl was trafficked under the guise of being sent to school in Abuja. Thanks to the awareness and connection provided by EWEI, she and others in the community were able to intervene and safely bring the girl home.

“Our homes have changed. We used to discipline children harshly out of frustration. Now we’ve learned better ways to communicate with them. The support, both emotional and financial has empowered us to rebuild our lives,” she said.

A New Voice Among the Youth

Timothy Rejoice, a new beneficiary, also shared her perspective, “I never knew I had rights as a girl. Now I do. My father left us and my mother is struggling to raise me and my siblings. This training has given me the courage to seek help, and I believe EWEI can help my family find a way forward.”

Her story, like many others, reflects the daily struggles faced by young girls growing up in broken homes and underserved communities. But it also shines a light on what’s possible when they are equipped with knowledge and support.

A Model for Replication

The TWC project does more than just treat symptoms, it addresses root causes. It is altering the landscape of how violence against women and girls is perceived, prevented, and responded to at the community level. With a survivor-led, community-based approach, it is steadily building a generation of women and girls who are informed, empowered, and unafraid to speak out.

As participants return to their homes with new tools, fresh confidence, and shared hope, they are not just recipients, they are becoming leaders, protectors, and voices for the voiceless.

In the words of Blessing Yusuf, “We are truly grateful for EWEI. Their presence in our community has brought real change. We hope the new beneficiaries experience the same transformation we have. That is our wish for them.”

The “Together We Can” project targets the communities of Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru LGA and Kujama in Chikun LGA, Kaduna State. It focuses on mental health, psychosocial support, economic empowerment, and behavior change as tools to eradicate violence against women and girls.