The city of Mafa in Borno state, Northern Nigeria, as soon as ravaged by assaults from the infamous Boko Haram terrorists, has witnessed a change that features the presence of Falmata Usman, a pioneering feminine telephone technician. Falmata, aged 23, has defied neighborhood resistance and stereotypes to turn into the primary feminine telephone technician in the world.
Having witnessed the hardships inflicted upon her city by the insurgency, Falmata was decided to problem gender bias and champion girls’s rights and gender equality. She shares her journey, saying, “I used to be pursuing my schooling earlier than I ventured into this area. After graduating, I remained at house till, years later, I developed a powerful curiosity in telephone repairs. Alhamdulilah (thanks be to God), I can now assist myself and people round me.”
Falmata’s technical prowess has received her the belief and patronage of many residents in Mafa. Babagana Mogu, one among her glad clients, shared his expertise: “I had struggled unsuccessfully to restore my telephone till I discovered Falmata. I had taken my telephone to 4 totally different locations for restore with no success.” Maringo Kaffi, one other buyer, attested to Falmata’s ability, stating, “The high quality of their work right here is superb and signifies progress. Falmata’s success will encourage different women. If she will be able to train different women, they will, in flip, go on their information, resulting in progress in our neighborhood.”
Falmata Usman
Falmata’s brave pursuit of her ardour has earned her the standing of a neighborhood hero in Mafa, the place gender norms differ from these in many different components of Nigeria. Here, girls, significantly Muslims, sometimes give attention to family chores and childcare.
“I might encourage girls to not stay idle, whether or not you might be married or a younger woman. It’s not anticipated of you to be idle, particularly when you could have youngsters,” Falmata suggested. “You don’t should rely solely in your husband to fulfill your wants. Life is difficult, and fathers present for his or her youngsters and wives. However, it’s helpful to play your half by participating in enterprise, regardless of how small. Small beginnings can develop into one thing substantial.”
While Nigeria has made progress in closing the gender hole, with a 16-place enchancment in the 2022 world gender hole index in comparison with the earlier yr, it nonetheless faces a gender hole of 63.9%, as reported by the World Gender Gap report. In Mafa, Falmata’s willpower has impressed many, displaying them that they can also overcome poverty by pursuing daring endeavors in fields historically dominated by males in their neighborhood.
https://www.naijanews.com/world-news/2024/01/young-woman-challenges-gender-bias-with-phone-tech-repair-shop-in-nigerias-borno-state/
