The green-and-red Nana Female Mechanic Garage sign is visible from the main road into Sokoto city. The workshop aims to provide jobs for women in an industry dominated by men and challenge traditional gender roles in this conservative and highly insecure region of the country. Apprentices were selected from a vast range of applicants, from unemployed graduates to women from poorer families with few opportunities in a state where less than 2% of girls finish secondary school and the literacy rate for women is just 10% compared with 40% for men. About 35% of 15- to 34-year-olds across Nigeria are unemployed. Over a two-year apprenticeship, the women are trained in all aspects of car maintenance and given a weekly allowance. They also have access to a shared computer to browse learning resources online.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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