THE Northern Development Program (NDP) has assisted 250 income-generating projects of women to the value of $1.1million.
The projects have been initiated by women in the division over the past five years of NDP's operation in the Northern Division.
Speaking at the International Women's Day celebrations held at the Labasa Civic Centre yesterday, NDP manager Waisale Tuidama said assistance provided to the 250 projects were valued at $1.1 million.
Mr Tuidama encouraged women in the three provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata to take advantage of their assistance in initiating income-generating projects. "About 79 women in Cakaudrove requested for assistance from our program which is 32 per cent of all women in the province compared to 6 per cent of women in Bua and 62 per cent of women in Macuata.
"Women in the North are not making good use of the opportunities available to them through the program of NDP and they need to involve themselves more.
"However, through our assessments, 12 per cent of women in the North plant yaqona and dalo mainly in the province of Bua while women in Macuata are slowly venturing out into sugarcane farming," he added.