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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.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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Event

Experts Urge Women to Embrace Digital Revolution, Break Barriers at LATTES 3.0

by Women Times on

The First West Africa Director of Google who recently left the tech giant, and founded Beyond Limits Africa, Juliet Ehimuan alongside other leading women in tech and other field have urged women to optimally leverage on technology and empowerment opportunities  which will help them actualise their dreams irrespective of the obstacles in their career. 

The experts made this known at the Ladies at the Table Empowerment Series (LATTES 3.0) organised by Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited. The annual event with the theme “The Woman of the Future”was an hybrid and had the attendance of thousands of women across the country who attended virtually and were thrilled by the insights shared by the keynote speaker and the panelists.

Speaking at the event, Olumide Oyetan,  Managing Director, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers said that LATTES was created to empower women through informative sessions that will equip them with the right information to excel in their economic and personal endeavours.

He added that through the initiative,  Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers is fostering sustainable development and gender parity in the country and it would continue to empower the gender through various initiatives.

The keynote speaker,  Juliet advised women to take bold steps in their career and also live a well-balanced life.

She urged women to think about their future and explore opportunities that this time present despite living in a volatile,  uncertain,  complex and ambiguous (VOCA) world.

She charged women to learn and unlearn what does not work any more and  have a fearless approach to tackle challenges and break barriers,.”The future is for the bold, we need to take bold steps, ” she emphasised.

She also stated that women of the future should be intentional,  courageous,  digitally empowered,  have a growth mindset and adaptable.

Event was hosted by Mojibade Sosanya, International Event Compere and featured seasoned panelists like Dr. Omolola Salako,  oncologist;  Solape Akinpelu,  CEO/Co-Founder,  Hervest; and Tobi Ayeni,  Digital Strategist and Founder,  Misstechy who shared insights on how women can achieve work-life balance, including what inspired their company formation and how they were able to surmount some of the challenges they faced.

Dr. Omolola urged women to embark on regular exercise, eat right, rest well and go for check up to avoid having health challenges.

Also,  Solape tasked women in business to collaborate, and delegate responsibilities to reduce stress and add more value anywhere they are.

Similarly,  Tobi said Nigeria is the best place to develop new ideas, stating that the time is now for women to start to innovate.

Event was hosted by Mojibade Sosanya, International Event Compere and featured seasoned panelists like Dr. Omolola Salako,  oncologist;  Solape Akinpelu,  CEO/Co-Founder,  Hervest; and Tobi Ayeni,  Digital Strategist and Founder,  Misstechy who shared insights on how women can achieve work-life balance, including what inspired their company formation and how they were able to surmount some of the challenges they faced.

Dr. Omolola urged women to embark on regular exercise, eat right, rest well and go for check up to avoid having health challenges.

Also,  Solape tasked women in business to collaborate, and delegate responsibilities to reduce stress and add more value anywhere they are.

Similarly,  Tobi said Nigeria is the best place to develop new ideas, stating that the time is now for women to start to innovate.

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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.”

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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.

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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.”

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Event

LG Electronics Steers Discourse on Health and Wellness in Celebration of Women’s Month

by Women Times on

In celebration of Women’s Month, a combination of Women’s & Mother day, global electronics giant LG hosted its first Women’s Summit in Lagos on Saturday, March 25th, 2023, bringing together industry executives, healthcare professionals, ESG experts, customers, and other key stakeholders for a national discourse.

During the event, Mr. Dong Youn Kim, Managing Director, LG Electronics West Africa, urged women to focus on their health and general well-being by eating healthy foods and adopting tech-driven consumer electronics devices that would make their lives easier.

While delivering his address, he stated that the company’s decision to organise the Women Summit was to establish a platform for women to interact, learn, and be inspired by the experiences of seasoned professionals from all backgrounds.

He then announced the launch of the LG Insider Community, an online female organisation that would bring together like-minded women who prioritise health and fitness. “From the community, they would receive fantastic lifestyle content, access to exclusive discounts and promotions, exclusive events, and much more,” he said.

“Happiness is the highest form of health”, he retorted. “Happiness will come only when we are healthy and fit. But today we live in a world where we value things more than people, work more than family, food more than health and status more than life. We rush after money and social status, and we forget about our health. What’s the value of life if we don’t live healthy and stay fit. This absurd attitude has ruined many lives and it will continue to do so unless we open our eyes and see the reality”, the LG Boss said.

LG Electronics Management Staff, MD – Dongyoun Kim, Head of Corporate Marketing: Mr. Hari Elluru, Air Solution Product Manager: Joonkyu Song, Home Appliances Product Manager: Brian Kang at the maiden edition of the LG Women Summit 2023

Commenting on LG’s commitment to health and wellness products, Mr. Brian Kang – General Manager, Home Appliances Division, LG Electronics, said “technology and innovation have the potential to play a transformative role in the health & wellbeing of everyone seated. At LG, the health of everyone is paramount, hence the incorporation of innovative features such as hygiene technology in LG Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Styler and Air Conditioners.

“At the core of LG Washing Machine and Styler is the TrueSteam™ technology which eliminates over 99.9 percent of the germs and bacteria found in clothing to keep one’s wardrobe hygienically clean, while the UVnano™, a breakthrough that represents the future of personal care, an innovative sanitization technology works to eliminate 99.99% of harmful germs in just a few minutes using ultraviolet light in LG InstaView Refrigerator and Artcool Air Conditioner”, he stated.

He added that the outcome of the LG Women Summit will be part of its public awareness campaign and form part of further conversations the online female forum, LG Insider Community.

The summit, themed “All-Round Health & Wellness,” had Dr. Mories Atoki, the Chief Executive Officer of the African Business Coalition for Health (ABC Health) as the keynote speaker.  She spoke on the topic ‘Intersection of Personal Health and Professional Life’. There were also two panel discussions during the event. The first panellists steered conversation on ‘Promoting Holistic Health and Wellness: Integrating Nutrition, Mental Health, Women’s Health, Family Health Strategies, and System Regulation,’ and the second panellists talked about ‘Empowerment through Career Development and Entrepreneurship.’

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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.”

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