By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
In a move aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting self-reliance among rural dwellers, Kaduna-based philanthropist and businesswoman, Barrister Catherine Bitrus, has empowered no fewer than 250 vulnerable women in Kaura Local Government Area with grinding machines and essential food items.
The distribution, which took place in Manchok, saw each beneficiary receive a grinding machine along with food packages that included bags of rice, cartons of noodles, vegetable oil, and seasoning cubes.
Barrister Bitrus, the Chief Executive Officer of Natural Beauty Secret, said the gesture was her way of giving back to society, especially to women struggling to survive amid rising economic hardship.
“I have been blessed by God, and I believe it is right to share His blessings with others,” she said. “We all know how difficult things are for many women, especially in rural areas. This is just a small way of helping them find their feet.”
She encouraged the women to stay resilient and hardworking, promising to sustain the empowerment initiative as part of her personal commitment to community development.
Bitrus also commended Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for creating an enabling environment that supports the growth and empowerment of women across the state.
Representing the state government, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Barrister James Kanyip, hailed the initiative and called on other privileged individuals and organisations to replicate such efforts in their communities.
Chairman of the planning committee, Mr. Lucky Ezra, described the benefactor as a woman with a deep sense of social responsibility and a heart for the underprivileged. He urged the beneficiaries to make wise use of the items, noting that economic empowerment was key to grassroots development.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Josephine Bature, who spoke on behalf of the women, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Barrister Bitrus for her generosity and prayed for God’s continued blessings upon her.
The initiative adds to a growing number of private-led interventions supporting livelihoods in Nigeria’s rural communities amid worsening economic conditions.