The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has distributed 70 locally manufactured tricycles to persons with physical disabilities in Borno State as part of efforts to promote mobility, self-reliance and economic empowerment among vulnerable people affected by years of conflict.
The Head of the ICRC Sub-Delegation in Maiduguri, Diana Japaridze, disclosed this on Tuesday in Maiduguri during a distribution ceremony at the Tricycle Workshop and Vocational Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities.
Japaridze said the initiative was implemented by the ICRC in partnership with the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the Borno State Government to strengthen recovery and resilience among communities affected by conflict.
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She explained that the initiative originated from a request by the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities in Borno, which approached the ICRC for support to establish a dedicated tricycle production workshop during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2023.
According to her, the request became a reality with the inauguration of the workshop on June 15, 2026.
“Mobility is the gateway to independence. The 70 custom-made tricycles produced here will help persons with physical disabilities overcome barriers, access education, earn a living and participate fully in their communities,” she said.
From Conflict-Damaged Workshop to Empowerment Centre
Japaridze said the centre had evolved from an effort to replace a makeshift workshop destroyed by conflict more than a decade ago into a hub for skills development and economic empowerment.
She commended the association, technicians and beneficiaries for their resilience and commitment to ensuring the success of the project.
The ICRC official noted that producing the tricycles locally would not only provide mobility aids to persons with disabilities but also create opportunities for beneficiaries and technicians to acquire practical skills and become more economically independent.
‘There Is Ability in Disability’
The Chairman of the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities in Borno, Abubakar Muhammad, said the workshop had successfully produced all 70 tricycles locally for distribution to association members.
Muhammad disclosed that chewing machines had also been distributed to beneficiaries to support livelihood activities, particularly among women.
“There is ability in disability,” he said, while appreciating the ICRC for providing the centre with solar power and the equipment required to manufacture the tricycles.
He urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the support, shun street begging and avoid abandoning the tricycles.
According to him, the intervention would enable persons with disabilities to become more productive members of society while reducing their dependence on others.
Borno Government Commends ICRC
The Permanent Secretary, Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Halima Chiroma, who represented the Commissioner, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, commended the ICRC for the intervention.
Chiroma assured that the state government would continue to partner with the ICRC and support efforts aimed at expanding the workshop.
She urged beneficiaries, particularly women, to use the chewing machines and tricycles responsibly to improve their livelihoods and strengthen their economic independence.
The intervention comes as Borno continues to recover from the devastating effects of years of armed conflict, which have left thousands of people displaced and vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.
News Agency of Nigeria NAN report that the ICRC said supporting mobility, vocational skills and income-generating opportunities remains an important part of its broader humanitarian efforts to help conflict-affected communities rebuild their lives and regain self-reliance.