LocationsThrough initiatives like the Climate Security Project, UNDP is equipping individuals with the skills and resources they need to create lasting change, both for themselves and their communities.
We Were Afraid to Break the Barriers Holding Women Back: How Three Women Defied Tradition to Build a Thriving Business
May 2, 2025
Three young women from Jibia LGA, Katsina State, Umma Salma Salisu (23), Maimuna Abubakar (23yrs), and Mariam Mukhtar (22yrs), are rewriting their stories.
Ayodeji-Daniel Adeyemo/UNDP Nigeria
Women’s roles are often confined to household management, particularly in the Northern Region of Nigeria. However, their potential stretches far beyond these limitations. Women possess great resilience, creativity, and leadership, and when empowered with the right tools and opportunities, they become powerful drivers of economic growth, social change, and community development. By breaking traditional barriers and stepping into roles such as entrepreneurship, advocacy and community leadership, women are proving that their contributions are essential to building more resilient and prosperous societies.
The UNDP’s Climate Security Project implemented in the Northwest states of Katsina and Sokoto is providing women with the necessary tools, training, and opportunities needed to break traditional barriers and thrive as active participants in their communities. Through skills acquisition programs, livelihood support, and business development initiatives, women are gaining economic independence and becoming leaders in sectors such as tailoring, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. This empowerment not only strengthens their families but also contributes to the overall resilience of their communities in the face of climate-related pressures that have significantly contributed to resource-based conflicts in the Northwest region of Nigeria.
Three young women from Jibia LGA, Katsina State, Umma Salma Salisu (23), Maimuna Abubakar (23yrs), and Mariam Mukhtar (22yrs), are rewriting their stories.t. These close friends were fortunate to be among the beneficiaries who received training and skills to build sustainable livelihoods.
“We’ve been friends for over 15 years because we grew up together here in Jibia,” Maimuna Abubakar shares with a smile. “We have always supported each other, offering advice, and discussing what the future holds. The unique thing about our friendship is how like-minded we are,we all wanted to start a business rather than depend on our parents, especially considering the current situation in the country.”
The three friends, Maimuna, Umma Salma, and Mariam were determined to add value to their lives and contribute to their community. “We were initially planning to save up and open a shop to sell cosmetics,” Salma explains. “But then we realized that one of us had a skill we could all leverage, Mariam's talent for fashion design.”
Mariam had learned fashion design from her mother, but she never had the chance to fully utilize her skills, until she met Samaritan Ark Global Foundation, a UNDP implementing partner on the Climate Security Project. Through the project’s support, she was able to turn her passion into a sustainable livelihood and with the support of her friends was able to build a successful tailoring and design business.
“We were so happy when we were selected as beneficiaries of this skills program. It was a unique opportunity for us to start our own business and become self-reliant,” Mariam joyfully recalls. “We were determined to learn as much as we could and make the most of the training. We received hands-on training, practical sessions, and even financial management lessons. By the end of the program, we were given new sewing machines, and that marked the beginning of our journey. We haven’t looked back since.”
Now, the three friends work together in the same shop, expanding their skills beyond just tailoring to include designing clothes, bags, and purses. They continue to grow their business, showing how determination and support can transform lives.
“We contribute a portion of our profits every month to a joint fund,” explains Maimuna. “We’re currently training other girls, showing them that women can also be productive and play a vital role in the community. Not only can we now support our families, but we are also able to inject positivity and economic growth into our community.”
This is a clear demonstration of UNDP’s commitment to driving sustainable development by empowering women and fostering economic resilience in vulnerable communities.
Through initiatives like the Climate Security Project, UNDP is equipping individuals with the skills and resources they need to create lasting change, both for themselves and their communities.
This wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous support of the Norwegian Government, whose funding has been instrumental in addressing climate-related challenges in the region. We also acknowledge our implementing partners for their unwavering dedication, on-the-ground expertise, and collaborative efforts in delivering meaningful impact across project communities.
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