close
Women Times

Empowerment

Empowerment

Empowering Women: Ogochukwu Eloike Unveils Secrets Behind ‘Ichabod’ – A Groundbreaking Self-Help Book for Women

by Women Times on

– Proffers practicable solutions on how women can be more proactive in pursuit of their purpose before marriage
– Kick starts hashtags #Ichabod, #ImEnough to allow women share their experiences as women

 

A writer and renowned communications strategist, Ogochukwu Geraldine Eloike, has launched her first book titled “Ichabod”, a clear narration of the feminine experience and how these experiences are being trivialized by society thus widening the gender gap.

The book, published by Parresia Publishers Ltd, under the Origami imprint, provides practicable roles the society and individuals can play in entrenching equity and ameliorating gender wariness which has been on the rise in recent times.

As part of the activities to launch the book, the author, Ogochukwu has kick-started hashtags campaign #Ichabod and #ImEnough to give women a voice and platform to share their life experiences in relation to manifestations of gender inequity and shortfalls. Through the hashtags, women and girls can share their experiences as girls and young adults living in patriarchal societies and how these experiences have shaped their life decisions thus far.

Shedding more light on the invaluable nature of the book – Ichabod, the author noted that “the term Ichabod has biblical connotation which means lost glory and it is used as the book title to allude to various ways we have gotten the training and raising of the girls wrong by paying much tribute to male children across various touchpoints. Understandably, in recent times, we have a series of activities designed to celebrate girls and women, but, our socio-cultural foundation remains patriarchal. For instance, in the Nigerian political environment, the senate unanimously voted against a gender-balanced house in 2021 and the action clearly depicts the perception of women as unequal and undeserving of leadership positions even when existing and emerging data shows that women, in some contexts are better leaders”, she said.

“Ichabod” is a direct and honest analysis of current gender disparity situations, not just in Nigeria but across the globe using real-life data garnered online and offline to measure various drivers of abuses, dissatisfaction, and perceived/established differences amongst both genders. The insights allow for a direct call to action for women as emerging data depict a rapid increase in gender-based violence, especially by spouses or close family members. And it is my hope that this book will trigger some sort of paradigm shift in various societies so that as people, we would pay more attention to the needs of each other instead of trying to subjugate and exert authority over one another”.

It is also identified in the book, as a key imperative for various stakeholders starting from families to look beyond the status quo and become more involved in addressing foundational causes of misogyny as unhappy mothers are most likely to raise unhappy children.

 

Institutions like government parastatals and religious establishments are also required to put in place structures that would test and allow for equity and help in actively bridging the gap created by gender disparity.

The book, “Ichabod” is available on PBC PageBook, OkadaBooks, Amazon Kindle, Amazon paperback, and hard copies can also be ordered on +2347062010410, info@parresia.com.ng from Parresia Publishers or a walk-in at 1st Floor Ibilola Nelson House, 82 Allen Ave, Ikeja, Lagos.

read more
Empowerment

How Nestlé is Supporting Rural Women Retailers in Nigeria to Grow Their Businesses

by Women Times on

 

Since August 2021, Nestlé Nigeria has helped 332 women to scale up their businesses by 300% and to sustain the new level through the Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project. The beneficiaries are women within Nestlé Nigeria’s value chain, running small businesses in rural areas across Nigeria.

Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria by helping them build financial security to improve their livelihoods is one of the ways through which Nestlé Nigeria is Creating Shared Value along its value chain. The program was established to help beneficiaries scale up their businesses and sustain the new level of up to three times the size of their existing businesses.

This objective is achieved through business training covering merchandizing, bookkeeping and customer service, mentorship and coaching in addition to grants in form of
Nestlé products valued at 300% of their monthly sales at the time of joining the program. The beneficiaries are subsequently registered in a 3-month mentorship program and each woman is linked to a personal mentor for one-on-one coaching to ensure adoption of the key learnings from the training received to achieve the desired success. Over 60% of the beneficiaries achieve the 300% target growth within the 3-month coaching period!

Aminat Kolawole is one of the 332 women across the country, supported by Nestlé Nigeria to scale up their businesses through the Nestlé Rural Women empowerment Program. Aminat, an indigene of Batoro community in Ogun state, has been running a small business for 8 years in Sagamu, where she sells food and beverages, toiletries, drinks, house-hold consumables among others. She is excited that her business, Idera Oluwa stores, was selected for the project. “I believe that this opportunity will provide the necessary knowledge and resources to grow my business so I can earn more money to support my family and cater for my children’s education”.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 7th batch into the Project in Sagamu, Nestlé Nigeria’s Commercial Manager, Khaled Ramadan, said “Creating shared value within our communities is core in the way we do business. At Nestlé, we strive to make positive impact on society while ensuring the sustainability of our business. The Rural Women Empowerment Program is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of value creation. The stories and testimonials from previous beneficiaries, particularly 100% to 200% business growth within three months of joining the program, encourages us to do more. Onboarding women from Sagamu, one of our host communities, is a significant milestone in our commitment to empowerment and sustainable development and we are proud to have an opportunity to make a tangible difference in their lives”.

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Phranklin Audu, Lead Facilitator & Head, Strategic Partnerships at FDConsults, implementation partner of Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project said, “We have amazing testimonials from previous beneficiaries.

Through this project, Nestlé continues to help solve the challenge of poverty by empowering rural women across Nigerian communities, lifting them off the poverty spectrum and improving their livelihoods. We are delighted to be project partners for the training and mentoring on this credible initiative”.

According to Kabiesi Odofin Soyindo who represented the Akarigbo of Remoland, HRM Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, “I commend Nestlé for this sustainable venture and empowerment of Sagamu women. This is a noble initiative, and we are glad that our community is benefitting from corporate programs like this from Nestlé. To the beneficiaries, I urge you to establish your priorities and judiciously use the grants provided to you for the expansion of your businesses”.

Expressing her delight on behalf of other beneficiaries, Aminat said, “We are greatly pleased at the opportunity to be included in this program. We are looking forward to the learning and mentoring sessions which will equip us to run our businesses more effectively. A big thank you to Nestlé for investing in us. Our promise to the company is that we will maximize this opportunity for the benefit of our families and communities”.

For Folasade Ogunjimi of Save Way Stores Sagamu, another beneficiary of the program, “This is the first time a company is bringing this amazing initiative to retailers in Sagamu in my 25 years of running this business. We sincerely appreciate this well planned and considerate gesture by Nestlé towards supporting and expanding our businesses”.

Community leaders, including the Vice Chairman of Sagamu Local Government Area and Executive members of the Royal Initiative for the Development of Sagamu Community, RIDSCO, also attended the event.

read more
Empowerment

Renewed Hope Initiative, NITDA Graduates Women in ICT

by Women Times on

In keeping with its mandate of empowering Nigerian women with enabling skills, the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has graduated the first set of beneficiaries of its Women ICT Training and Empowerment Programme.

The training had no fewer than 35 women drawn from across the FCT.

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu in her address, congratulated the participants and applauded the Director General and his team of facilitators for the success of the training.

She emphasized the importance of digital literacy and its role in fostering economic independence, noting that these skills are indispensable tools for driving growth and innovation”.

“Also, the importance of digital literacy and its role in fostering economic independence cannot be overemphasized. In a world driven by technology, these skills empower women to take control of their lives, contribute to their communities and seize opportunities”.

“As we celebrate the successful conclusion of this programme, I extend my congratulations to all participants. You have exhibited resilience, determination and a hunger for knowledge that will undoubtedly set you on a path of success”.

 

The Director General (DG) NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi appreciated the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the opportunity given to work with the RHI

“Thank you for protecting all the vulnerable Nigerians, we are blessed to have you as the First Lady and mother of our nation, the participants, your daughters are graduating today taking home five major things, they are all equipped with digital literacy and ICT proficiency, they are going home empowered to safely and responsibly use digital platforms, they also master digital marketing on how to be able to use social media to sell your products and services, you are also enlightened on how to be part of gig economy, you learnt skills on how to work remotely and earn money, you also learnt how to use productivity tools, and lastly they were empowered on how to network. They are going back home with a laptop and N100, 000.00”’.

“The First Lady has agreed with us to work and collaborate with Renewed Hope Initiative to craft a national digital gender inclusion strategy in order to bring you at parity with the men to benefit from digital economy”.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, also promised to work with the Initiative in ensuring that the training is extended to millions of women across the country.
He said the programme was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for women inclusion and empowerment among others.

“I want to extend my appreciation to the visionary of this initiative, our First Lady. Your unwavering commitment to empowerment and progress has charted the course for change for all the members of this cohort. This is a programme that we hope we can partner with you to actually scale significantly. I’m a big believer in the fact that we have to empower women because there is something that works really well for me, women are empathetic and when you have women around you, it is about the good for people not egos, this is why it is important the role you are playing in the society Ma”.

“I must also acknowledge the DG of NITDA and his team for their role in bringing this programme to fruition”.

“Women empowerment is fundamental for the development and growth of every society, there is actually no any individual that was not raised by a woman. By empowering women, we unlock the unique creativity and innovation that can enrich every aspect of our lives. It is well documented that when we provide equal access to education resources and opportunities, that it becomes architect of positive change, changing the trajectory of economic progress, social harmony and sustainable development”.

“This programme represents a critical step in this direction; it also aligned with two priority areas of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the first one being the investment in the digital economy to empower Nigerians with new skills and also sustain jobs, secondly to driving women empowerment to champion equity and parity across every facet of our lives”.
The power of digital tools and connectivity through the tranning also shattered the boundaries of what the participants thought it was impossible according to what representatives of the participants said.

 

On behalf of other participants, Miss Nkiru Ogbuli, a graphic designer expressed gratitude to the First Lady for keeping her promise of empowering women and explained that the program has expanded her knowledge and provided her with opportunities she wouldn’t have known existed.

Another beneficiary, Promise Ogbuehia, a makeup artist says the training is not only beneficial for her but also the people she would subsequently teach in order to impact them with knowledge she has gathered.
The First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu,alongside the Minister then handed Certificates, brand new laptops and #100,000 intervention grant to each of the graduates.

 

read more
Empowerment

Abbey Mortgage Bank Empowers Women Entrepreneurs in Real Estate,  Launches New Product 

by Women Times on

Abbey Mortgage Bank, a leading institution in the Nigerian mortgage industry,has announced the launch of an innovative product for women called WIRE: (Women in Real Estate). With this new commitment towards gender inclusion the bank strives to empower its female clients, by financing construction projects owned or managed by women.

The theme of the launch event, “Financing Women to Thrive in the Real Estate Industry,” perfectly captured their vision of this innovative initiative. This event showcased the bank’s dedication to fostering gender diversity and inclusivity within the real estate sector. The esteemed panelists, representing diverse expertise, included Tosin Ajose, a prominent business lawyer at DealHQ Partners; Barr. (Mrs.) Eunice Obasohan, the MD/CEO of Lily Homes Limited; Esv. Olabisi Omotayo Demola-Alade, former chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers; Mrs. Tokunbo Sherifat Sule-Owuda, a reputable Architect and owner of Walsher DB Ltd; and Abbey’s very own Lolita Ejiofor, General Manager, Group Head of IT & Operations, who played a pivotal role in bringing WIRE to fruition.

Lolita Ejiofor shared her insights during the event, stating, “At Abbey Mortgage Bank, we believe that economic empowerment knows no gender bounds. WIRE is not just a financial service; it’s a platform for women to overcome obstacles and redefine the real estate landscape. We are paving the way for women to excel, lead, and create a lasting impact not just in Nigeria, but across Africa.”

The product launch event which was live-streamed, reached aspiring female entrepreneurs from various parts of the country. The overwhelming response and engagement from women who participated in the virtual launch were a testament to the dire need for such a financial product in the real estate industry.

WIRE: Women in Real Estate is designed to provide tailored finance (including construction finance) that cater to the unique needs and challenges faced by women-owned real estate and construction businesses. Whether it’s startup capital, project financing, or growth funds, Abbey Mortgage Bank is committed to supporting women as they enter the real estate industry or take their ventures to new heights.

Abbey Mortgage Bank remains dedicated to advancing gender equality in the real estate sector and firmly believes that WIRE will play a pivotal role in transforming the landscape of financing and growth opportunities for women in the industry.

read more
Empowerment

Polaris Bank Wins Award for Supporting Women Empowerment

by Women Times on

The International Women Society (IWS) has honoured Polaris Bank with the prestigious ‘Providers & Enablers’ Award in recognition of the Bank’s remarkable commitment and significant contributions to women empowerment, particularly in the area of vocational, skills training and capacity building for women.

The award  ceremony was held at a special graduation ceremony last Thursday, July 27, 2023, at IWS Skills Centre, Lekki, Lagos.

Esteemed representatives from various organizations, community leaders, and women who have benefitted from the vocational and skills training programmes were present to celebrate the momentous occasion.

The IWS Centre, renowned for its dedication to uplifting women in the community, showcased a compelling video presentation that highlighted the transformational impact of the collaboration between the Centre and Polaris Bank. Through these skill-building programmes, women from diverse backgrounds have been empowered to pursue their passions, unlock their potential, and become self-reliant contributors to society.

Mr. Kehinde Akinwunmi, the Principal of the IWS Skills Acquisition Centre, Lekki delivered an impassioned speech expressing his gratitude to Polaris Bank for their unyielding support in nurturing the dreams and aspirations of countless women. He also emphasized the pivotal role played by the Bank in providing financial resources and scholarships for 21 students, enabling the Centre to expand its reach and positively impact the lives of even more women.

Responding to the recognition, Polaris Bank’s Head of Sustainability, Mrs. Yemi Akinrelere, who received the award on behalf of the Bank reaffirmed Polaris Bank’s commitment to advancing gender equality and promoting women’s empowerment in line with principle 4 of the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principle and as a cornerstone of its Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

“At Polaris Bank, we believe that empowering women is not just a moral imperative, but an essential driver of social progress and economic growth. We are honoured to partner with the International Women Society Skills Acquisition Centre in their noble mission, and we remain committed to supporting women’s advancement and fostering an inclusive and equitable society.”

The collaboration between Polaris Bank and the IWS Skills Acquisition Centre continues to serve as a shining example of how public-private partnerships can catalyze positive change and uplift entire communities. By equipping women with the necessary skills and knowledge, both institutions have empowered many women – young and the not-to-old to seize new opportunities, break barriers, and become agents of change in their respective fields.

One of the landmark contributions of Polaris Bank to the IWS Skills Acquisition Centre was the donation of a multi-million-naira ICT Laboratory for digital and ICT-related capacity building for students of the Centre, amongst other supports.

read more
Empowerment

U-recycle Initiative Africa Empowers 30 Young Women Tackling Pollution in Nigeria

by Women Times on

U-recycle Initiative Africa recently has empowered 30 young women leading change across Nigeria towards tackling plastic pollution who recently graduated from .its fellowship programme.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos recently, the Co-founder, U-recycle Initiative Africa, Oluwaseyi Moetoh, said the ceremony was important because for a very long time, young women and their voices have been undermined in this particular space.

She noted that through the fellowship programme, the non-profit-organisation is telling Nigeria and the world that young women are full of potential, and if given the right platform, resources and tools, they can catalyse meaningful change.

She said the U-recycle Initiative Africa is a youth-led non-profit organisation focused on advancing circular economy, environmental sustainability and climate action.

Established September 2018, Moetoh  expressed that the organisation has gained its position in empowering the next generation of changemakers and problem solvers towards tackling plastic pollution and climate change in Africa, starting from Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking further she said: “Recently, we launched the plastic waste by recycling initiative Africa. This is a transformative campaign and comprehensive leadership development program focused on empowering young women to catalyse behavioural change towards reducing plastic waste and pollution on their campuses in order to mitigate marine plastic pollution.

“We started this fellowship in September 2022 and over the last seven months and counting, our fellows across six states in Nigeria, have gone on to deploy amazing projects focused on making young people more concerned about the issue of plastic pollution and not just being concerned, but also taking action.

“As solution has multiple strategies, but it is broadly divided into two spheres. We have the capacity building sphere and we have the creative interventions.

“On our capacity buildings sphere, we have the fellowship which is the all-female Fellowship for Young women across Nigeria and these are female students. They are from University of Lagos to Obafemi Awolowo University to Lautech in Oyo state, among other schools across the country.

“We launched a bootcamp in August/September to explore how young women can leverage innovation to tackle the issue of plastic pollution and how they can become better leaders in their spaces. And for this, we had almost 200 female students joining from over 35 institutions in Nigeria.

“We had workshops across the different universities in six states. And we also leverage the power of research to explore how can we harness information and data to tackle this problem.

“We interacted with restaurants, and also went to the schools to observe the issue at hand to see how we can solve this problem. One thing stood out, universities are generating a lot of plastic waste and we need to end this from the roots, the mind. By  inspiring and educating young people about the harmful effects of plastic. They can regulate their use of plastic and also take actions like reducing, reusing and recycling.

On future prospect, she added that U-recycle Initiative Africa mentorship programme is coming up with installation of innovation hub in the near future.

She added: “On our creative interventions, we have a campus network leveraging the power of community to drive change. We have plastic waste 21-day challenge platform a revolutionary new platform leveraging the power of technology to accelerate Climate Education towards tackling plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.

“These are triple planetary crisis, threatening the survival and future of our planets. We have a policy scheme where we actually interacted with ministries earlier this year we had when we interact with officials from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National orientation agency, but to mention a few about ways you can harness their platform and influence to catalyse policies that can help eradicate the excessive generation of plastic waste across campuses and Universities throughout Nigeria.”

read more
Empowerment

Henkel Empowers Female Employees on Mental Health

by Women Times on

Henkel, a leading multinational consumer goods business committed to empowering its employees, recently organized an exclusive event for its female workforce to encourage mental health advocacy. The transformative gathering, titled “Empowering Women: Unlocking Mental Health Potential for a Balanced Life,” was a resounding success, fostering an environment of support, connection, and growth. The event brought together Henkel Nigeria’s esteemed female workforce in an atmosphere of enlightenment, support, and solidarity.

The event was targeted at women only due to the unique challenges faced by women and their heightened vulnerability to mental health issues.

Distinguished speakers graced the occasion, sharing their invaluable expertise and insights. Yomi Wilcox, esteemed founder of Iya Henry, captivated the audience with her understanding of mental health challenges faced by women and offered practical strategies for managing and overcoming them. Wilcox also emphasised the need for professionals to avoid being gripped by fear and anxiety, especially when dealing with complex projects in their work environment.
Nkem Offonabo, a prominent advocate for work-life balance and founder of the acclaimed Work Life Balance organization, graced the stage as another esteemed speaker. Offonabo shared her expertise and strategies to achieve harmony between work responsibilities and personal well-being. Her guidance provided attendees with practical tools to navigate the demands of a modern-day lifestyle without compromising their mental health. Offonabo worked the women through an exercise themed the “Wheel of Life” which enabled participates recalibrate and prioritize their mental health.

Speaking at the event, Chidera Akwuba, Transformation Manager at Henkel Nigeria, also took the opportunity to highlight the significance of mental health prioritization for women. Drawing from her own experiences and expertise, Akwuba emphasized the importance of self-care, resilience, and seeking support when needed.

“At Henkel Nigeria, we remain committed to the advancement of the welfare of women and dedicated to helping them reach their full potential by ensuring they achieve a balanced work and personal life.
Akwuba added: “We are also passionate about women. We want to understand the unique challenges faced by women and provide valuable insights to enhance their well-being to create a more supportive and inclusive environment in the workplace.”
Akwuba reiterated to the attendees the company’s policies which guarantee diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in its operations, including the protection of women and all employees at the workplace.
Rajat Kapur, Managing Director of Henkel Nigeria, expressed his enthusiasm and full support for the event, stating, “At Henkel Nigeria, we believe that investing in the well-being of our employees is not just a responsibility but a strategic imperative. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment where our female employees can thrive. By organizing this event, we aim to raise awareness about mental health and equip our women with the tools and knowledge to lead balanced and fulfilling lives.”

The event facilitated an enriching environment where the female employees of Henkel Nigeria were able to connect with one another on a profound level. Through engaging discussions, participants shared their personal stories, challenges, and triumphs, further strengthening the bonds within the organization. The support and solidarity generated at the event serve as a solid foundation for ongoing initiatives aimed at nurturing mental well-being among Henkel Nigeria’s valued female workforce.

As a company committed to promoting a healthy work environment, Henkel Nigeria understands that a balanced life encompasses both physical and mental well-being. By championing mental health awareness through this exclusive event, Henkel Nigeria demonstrates its dedication to the holistic empowerment of its employees.

read more
Empowerment

Felix King Foundation to Empower Rural Women with Access to Mobile Technology 

by Women Times on

In an effort to further improve the daily lives of the indigent rural women and widows, Felix King Foundation, has announced ‘Helo mama’ initiative that comes with mobile phones for widows and phone charging stations for women in the rural communities.  

The ‘Helo mama’ programme, a two-legged scheme  Is designed to provides mobile phones for the impoverished rural widows and at the same time phone charging stations powered by  2.5kva solar systems across these communities for the rural women to have unfettered access to power to charging their phones.

The initiative is scheduled to flag off in early June 2023 and it would be activated gradually across some communities in Edo State particularly Esanland.

The Founder and President of the Foundation, Dr. Felix King stated that the initiative is a support scheme that would help the impoverished rural women and widows in the area gain access to mobile telephony as well as ensuring that they are able to stay connected by charging their mobile phones without stress.

According to him, the importance of mobile communication cannot be overemphasized, particularly in the rural communities because it could assist farmers and small business owners increase productivity, access to customers, produce better quality products, and facilitate seamless passage of information from rural to urban.

‘Mobile communication has gone beyond luxury or entertainment, it is integral for surviving and succeeding in today’s world’, adding that ‘Rural communities often lack adequate communication technology, which creates a digital divide and puts the lives and businesses there at a disadvantage’, Dr. King stated.

The Foundation through ‘Helo mama’ initiative would install phone charging stations that would be powered with 2.5kva Solar system across the communities to help these rural women and others charge their mobile phones provided by the foundation and stay connected consistently without worrying about power outage or shortage.

He said, “We are projecting to cover over 20 communities before the end of the year. This would go a long way in solving communication challenges associated with rural areas in Esanland. This is our little effort to make these needy women improve on endeavors as well as keeping them talking.”

In some of these communities, Dr. King revealed that these women traveled over 3 kilometers to some locations to power their mobile phones and even get to pay for charging their mobile gadgets. Some of these women part with at least N200 daily to be able to charge their mobile phones because of unavailability of public power and share distance to where public power is available.

“Apart from eradicating some of the challenges associated with the dearth of available amenities for easy communication in the rural areas, this initiative can also be used as revenue generation tools for the rural women. It would prove a tool for payment and they could start a Point of Sales business with it,” he added.

With this new development, the average life of rural dwellers in Esan land has changed forever. The era of financial transaction deception to these women has ended because they will see life in real time situations. Their business would improve and that would impact on their daily activities, stated one of the residents of the community.

In 2016, Dr. King floated the Foundation to help women have a better life, which is built to help women succeed as entrepreneurs, ensure they participate in the economy of their communities, ameliorate poverty, while their dignity is preserved.

Since inception, the Foundation has engaged in several programmes all geared towards ameliorating the severe hard economic realities facing these women in the rural communities across the nation.

The foundation has inaugurated programmes such as better life for rural African widows, widows’ market moni, help project, advocacy project, rural women cooperative schemes, and scholarship scheme for widows’ children among many others.

For the better life for rural African Widows programme, the Foundation has provided succour to rural widows in terms of giving them farming implements to aid their subsistence farming.

In the advocacy project, Felix King Foundation had led a campaign on the abolition of widows’ maltreatment in Africa. The campaign also saw the foundation meeting the Edo State House of Assembly to propose a bill that would end the archaic tradition and culture.

Market Moni, a novel initiative, empowered thousands of indigent rural women and the outcome is monumental. Till date, these women are in business providing and supporting their ward’s education through this initiative.

Emphasizing on the works of the Foundation, Dr. King said, “Across communities we operate, we are driven by the commitment we owe to God despite the huge challenges. Whether it’s creating economic opportunity by providing business  seed funding  and training for female entrepreneurs in Africa –  through The Startups Africa initiative, helping widows and rural women with trade grant and skill acquisition through The Market Moni  initiative, providing educational enhancement scholarships for children of widows, increasing opportunities for  Widows in Farming program (WIFARM), Medical support for children or championing the campaign in communities on the importance to respect the dignity of women and their children due to cultural biases  to enhance community growth, we get our satisfaction by the successes we achieve through these efforts: making the world better for women and the children.”

read more
Empowerment

FG Commends Simba TVS for ‘Queen Rider’ Women’s Empowerment Initiatives

by Women Times on

The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen (OFR), has commended The Simba Group, a leading two and three-wheeler mobility-solutions provider in Nigeria, for the success of its Queen Riders program which has contributed to women’s empowerment and gender equity in the country.

The statement was made during the 2023 International Women’s Day celebration organized by Access Bank, recently in Lagos.

It would be recalled that the Simba Group initiated its collaboration with the Ministry in 2020. It has since supported and encouraged the company’s efforts to enhance opportunities for underrepresented women to participate in the Nigerian commercial transport industry.

It has since received the Ministry’s Product Recognition Award “in recognition of the laudable initiatives to improve the wellbeing and livelihood of Nigerian Women and Vulnerable Groups”.

The Minister praised the company for its efforts in supporting women via the program, noting that they are in line with the government’s vision of empowering women across the country.

The Queen Riders Program provides training to women on vehicle riding and repairs, mentorship, and access to financing. The program, which is built on four pillars of Opportunity, Development, Empowerment, and Independence, has successfully enriched the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of women across different parts of the country.

Simba Group Managing Director, Chief Vinay Grover, expressed gratitude for the Minister’s recognition and promised to continue to do more to support women’s empowerment, gender equity, and financial freedom.

In a statement released by the company, he said: “We are honoured to have received such positive feedback from the Hon. Minister.

The Queen Riders program was established to support and empower under-represented women and we are grateful to the Minister and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs for its guidance and encouragement. Furthermore, we understand the role the private sector plays in empowering women and will continue to drive forward these important initiatives.”

read more
Empowerment

Bolt Holds Women’s Summit on Financial Independence, Leadership, & Self Defence

by Women Times on

To support the reduction of gender gap across employment and entrepreneurship and in line with its commitment to the Nigeria2Equal program with the International Finance Corporation and building an inclusive society for women and overall economic growth, Bolt, the leading mobility app, recently held a Capacity Building Summit on Financial Independence, Leadership, & Self Defence among women in Nigeria.

 

Reviewing data from Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) which shows a relative gender gap of 33% in Nigeria’s financial inclusion rate between men and women, it is imperative to foster discussions that seek to improve financial literacy and impact the financial well-being of Nigerian women. The summit held at the Grand Junction Hall, Landmark Towers on the 3rd of April 2023 themed “Promoting Financial Inclusion and Independence for Women”, had Bolt’s female employees, Bolt’s female drivers, and Tosin Olaseinde, Founder of Money Africa, all gathered to discuss the prospect of closing the financial inclusion gap and promoting financial independence.

While speaking at the event, Weyinmi Aghadiuno, Senior Public Policy Manager for West and Central Africa, discussed the importance of the summit for Bolt. She said, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion is important to the fabric of Bolt. This year’s summit  we decided to take it a step further by delving beyond tech into the well-being of female entrepreneurs on our platforms and our female employees. After deliberating on the key issues impacting their well-being, we decided to focus the summit on tools to promote financial independence and safety, which tie into the core values of Bolt.

L — R] Thelma Philips, Workplace Experience Manager, Nigeria; Weyinmi Aghadiuno, Senior Public Policy Manager for West, Central & North Africa; Onyinyechi Madubuko, Operation Manager – Rides, Nigeria; Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Founder, Money Africa; Joy Kingsley, Customer Support Specialist – Safety, Nigeria; and Ogechi Mbatu, Marketing Specialist, Nigeria at Bolt’s Women’s Summit on Financial Independence, Leadership & Self Defence.

At Bolt, we know that women are resourceful and dependable. They have the brainpower, technical skills, intuition, and wisdom needed to move industries and nations forward. We encourage all organisations to take a step forward by empowering the women in their communities, even beyond their immediate employees. Hundreds are impacted when one woman is empowered”, she concluded.

 

Also speaking at the summit, Tosin Olaseinde, the keynote speaker, shared that organisations need to contribute a quota to inclusive growth for women in Nigeria. She said, “Financial literacy is an extremely important lesson for Nigerian women. Research has shown that when money is in the hands of women, it boosts the entire family and community creating a ripple effect. It is important for companies to play their parts in creating inclusive growth, especially for women, because when employees are financially literate, they are happier and more productive.”

Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Founder, Money Africa and Bolt’s Female Drivers at at Bolt’s Women’s Summit on Financial Independence, Leadership & Self Defence in Lagos.

The event also included self-defence workshops for female drivers and employees, furthering Bolt’s commitment to safety. The upcoming launch of a digital community for Bolt’s female drivers was announced at the event with the intention of providing a safe space and direct access to support staff and tools when necessary. Through this and its upgraded safety features, Bolt intends to ensure safe mobility for all on its platform.

 

read more
1 … 4 5 6 7 8
Page 6 of 8