An NGO, Growing Business Foundation (GBF), in collaboration with Guinness Nigeria has trained and empowered 90 underprivileged women with startup products for business in Kaduna State.
Mr Seyi Dare, its Programme Director, who made this known on Thursday in Kaduna, said that the beneficiaries were selected from three local government areas of Kaduna South, Zaria and Chikun within the state.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at providing support to underprivileged women in rural communities who need support to improve the livelihood of their family.
Dare said that with this empowerment some qualified individuals will be gainfully employed to manage the affairs of these empowered women within the respectful LGA’s in the state.
”The interventions focuses on training the beneficiaries on calculating profits, attending to customers and then provision of start up products,” he said.
He said the foundation would after six months visit to know how the women are progressing in their businesses.
Dare, said that the empowerment trade items donated include non-alcoholic drinks of Origin Zero, Malta Guinness, Dubic Malta, coolers, cooler stands and umbrellas.
Malam Abubakar Hassan, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) commended the foundation for the initiative.
According to him, through the state government’s ease of doing business, women are being empowered.
He said that the agency would continue to support communities and institutions to mainstream all items that cause rise of social vices in our communities.
“When women are empowerd to provide at home, we will eliminate the various forms social vices that disturb our communities while giving children a better opportunity of going to school,” he said.
He called on the beneficiaries to improve on the business so as to encourage GBF/Guinness to expand its project across the state.
Mrs Sade Atoyebi, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of the state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai commended the foundation for ensuring that the social protection policy of the state was observed.
She said that the Kaduna State Social Investment Office had a policy for social protection where every resident of the state contributed therefore should benefits from the state.
Mr Danjuma Dogo, Area Sales Manager, Guinness Nigeria, said the Kaduna Women Empowerment Programme, was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility of giving back to the society.
He assured the beneficiaries of access to supply after the sales of their products.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), expressed appreciation to the foundation for deeming it fit to equip them with the trade items to start their business.
They called on well meaning individuals and organisations to emulate GBF and support the underprivileged.
