Help the Less privileged - Patronize E2E Laundry & Dry cleaning service ABUJA

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Are you in Abuja or have contacts in Abuja? 

Ever thought of enriching the lives of the less privileged in the society but did not know how to go about it? 

Have a mind to do good but feel at a loss on how to go about it?

WE HAVE THE ANSWER!!!

A quality and customer service driven Laundry & Dry cleaning service located in the Heart of Abuja, FCT. 

Powered by the Non-Profit Organization, Empowered To Empower Initiative with the vision of creating a circle of financial empowerment among rural women.

THE IDEA

Revenue realized from the Laundry & Dry cleaning service is channeled to E2E Initiative's projects of women empowerment through provision of soft loans, small business startups, skills training and acquisition, gifting of clothing and fabrics, to mention but a few.

OUR SERVICES

• Washing (Automated and Chemical wash)
• Dry Cleaning 
• Ironing (Optional Starching)
• Garment Modification and Alteration
• Free Pickup & Delivery anywhere in Abuja (Same day to maximum of 24 Hrs)

SEE FOR YOURSELF - PICTOGRAM

 

 

Edo Speaker makes case for less privileged

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The Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Edoror has expressed the need to give due attention to women, youths, the vulunerable and less privileged members of the society.
In his remarks at Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, Edo State during the inauguration ceremony of Enibokun Edoror Foundation, the Speaker said that due attention to the women, youths, vulnerable and less privileged would fast track the process of development.

The Enibokun foundation is a Non-Governmental Organisation committed to the welfare of women and the girl child.

According to the Speaker, in order to ensure a safer society, all stakeholders must pull their resources together to assist the less privileged and indigent girl child and youths in the society in order to dissuade them from being vulnerable to crime, criminality and other social vices.

CEO of Nike Arts Gallery, Lagos sets the pace in Women Empowerment

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Mrs Nike Okundaiye, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nike Arts Gallery, Lagos, on Wednesday said that she trained 590 women in artistic skills in 2015.

Okundaiye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the programme was to sharpen the participants’ skills and make them become self–reliant.

She said that there had been an improvement in women's participation in art related skills as 350 women were trained in 2014 while 590 were recorded in 2015.

She said that 120 women were trained in Osogbo, another 120 women trained in Abuja, 100 in Lagos and 250 in Ogidi, Kogi.

The artist said that the training was to empower orphans, widows and the less privileged and make them responsible individuals.

No Society Thrives Ignoring Widows, Less Privileged- Bolanle Ambode

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Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode , Monday,  observed that no society can thrive in an atmosphere where widows and the less privileged are continuously ignored and schemed out of welfare calculations, just as she said that all hands must be on deck to put premium on the welfare of the vulnerable members of the society.

Mrs. Ambode, who spoke at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja during an empowerment programme for widows, mothers with multiple births and medical support for the less privileged, said societies can only thrive when the burden on widows are made lighter and the less privileged are assisted in a number of ways to live better lives, and thereby called for deliberate efforts to alleviate their sufferings.

No fewer than 32 widows, 14 parents with multiple births and five non-governmental organisations in the vanguard of helping the less privileged were empowered at the programme.

The programme was put together by Mrs Ambode in conjunction with a non-governmental organization, Hope for Women Foundation (HOFOWEM).

Nigerians tasked on help for less privileged

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An appeal has gone to good spirited Nigerians to come to the aid of less privileged citizens in society, especially the motherless babies and children orphaned by varying circumstances. 

The Director of Planning, Strategy and Research, DPSR, of Women in Action for Development, WIAFOD, Lady Amaka Ezeude, made the passionate appeal while presenting varying food items and other consumables to the Red Cross Motherless Babies Home, Owerri. “It was not the choice of these hapless, helpless babies that they are in their present condition. There is therefore the need for the rest of us to periodically visit these homes and attend to the special needs of the inmates”, Ezeude said.

While commending some individuals and corporate organizations that have been assisting these special citizens in Nigeria, Lady Ezeude however explained that  it was the tradition of WIAFOD to  engage in activities that would positively change the life  of the less privileged. “We ought to make them have a sense of belonging. We should care for them, particularly, in  the areas of food, shelter, education”, Ezeude said. 

ATTEND the #InvestInHer Empowerment Summit in Abuja - March 19th, 2016

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In line with our vision to create a circle of empowerment among the less privileged women of our society, E2E Initiative will be unveiling its flagship Project #InvestInHer

Programs at the unveiling will include:

• Provision of Grants / Soft loans for Startups and Business Ideas
• Free Training on various skills and Business Startups
• Concise Lectures on understanding various business markets, Branding and Packaging
• Gifting of free clothing
• Motivational talks

Date: 19th March, 2016

Time: 9am Prompt

Venue: Assemblies of God Church Auditorium, Opposite Royal Dream, before Orange Market, Mararaba, Nassarawa state.

You can visit our WEBSITE or tweet us @e2e_Initiative or Like us on Facebook

For Inquiries, kindly call +2347051776319

CELEBRATING Mrs. Anih Joy. A FANTASTIC MUM and FOUNDER of E2E INITIATIVE

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Mrs. Anih Joy and her Hubby Mr. Godwin Anih 

Its never too late nor does it ever get sour to recall or remember events marked by people whose contribution to the society is simply priceless.

Such an event was marked on the 28th of February, 2016 when our very own founder, a woman of substance, glam and gracious in all ramifications - Mrs. Anih Joy was thrown a surprise birthday celebration at her residence by her loving Husband, Friends, Relatives and Staff of E2E Initiative. 

 

L-R: Mrs. Akanonu Joy (CEO Joyee Divine Concept - JDC) and Mrs. Anih Joy (Founder, E2E Initiative)    

For a woman who pursued a vision of a Non-profit organization themed at creating a circle of empowerment among women and brought it to reality in Empowered To Empower (E2E) Initiative, a day which commemorates her birth is indeed a blessed day for humanity.

2016 List of Scholarships for African women and Developing Countries

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A number of organisations encourage women empowerment through education at different levels by offering specific scholarships for African women from Africa and developing countries. Although women looking for scholarships can as well apply for other scholarship programmes that are non-gender specific, there are sponsorship programmes that reduce the competition by offering their scholarship programmes solely for women. From the archives of AfterschoolAfrica, below is an updated list of scholarships (undergraduate, Masters, MBA and PhD) that are open for women from African and developing countries.

LIST OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND THEIR PREVIOUS/TENTATIVE DEADLINES

Domesticate the Child Right Act and enforce it- ACSEC

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AS part of efforts to secure the future of the girl-child in Nigeria, the Executive Director of African Child Social Empowerment Centre (ACSEC), a non-governmental organisation, Dr. Bonaventure Enemali, has called on all state governments in the country to domesticate the Child Right Act and enforce it.

Enemali made the call recently while speaking at a workshop organised by the organisation for students of Power and Glory International Schools, Ejigbo, Lagos State, in commemoration of last year's International Day for the African Child.

The event, which held with the theme “Accelerating our Collective Efforts to End Child Marriage in Africa” is celebrated on June 16 every year to commemorate an ugly event that happened in Soweto, South Africa on June 16, 1976, where about 10, 000 black school children marched in a column more than half a mile protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of the young students were shot, the most famous of which was Hector Peterson. More than 100 people were killed in the protest while over 1000 others were injured.

Empowering the girl child for future challenges

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Empowering the girl child for future challenges and leadership positions in the society cannot be overemphasised. As campaign for the girl child education is increasing by the day, experts are of the opinion that empowerment of the girl child is something that must not be toyed with.

In championing the cause of the girl child, the South African High Commission in Nigeria established a programme tagged “Take a Girl Student to Work.” The initiative which is being done annually was to expose final year female students in the universities to work environment. The High Commission partners interested public and private organisations willing to absorb the students for the programme.

Partnering on the project, MultiChoice Nigeria has absorbed 20 students from various departments from the University of Lagos in this year’s edition of the programme.

According to the organisation’s Head, Public Relations, Segun Fayose, the exercise was basically about empowering the female child. “It started in 2009 when South Africa celebrated women’s day and every August 9 is declared a public holiday in the country to celebrate women. South African women contributed to the struggle for their liberation. In Nigeria, they made initiative to empower the female child which is a weeklong programme to get expose to work environment. It always involves the final year students where they spend the whole day to have exposure in different units, have practical with us as well as with our contact centres”, he remarked.

DID YOU KNOW?

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• Statistics by the UN say more than 700 million women are married as children (below 18 years of age). 
• More than one in three or some 250 million are married before 15. 
• Child brides are often unable to effectively negotiate safe sex, leaving them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. 
• Every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence. 
• In emergencies, adolescent girls are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, and in some cases, are abducted and exploited for sexual purposes by armed groups. 
• Nearly half (44 per cent) of adolescent girls worldwide aged 15 to 19 think a husband or partner is justified in hitting or beating his wife or partner under certain circumstances.

What are you doing in your able capacity to mitigate these monstrously negative statistics?

Curled from: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/its-time-nigerians-speak-out-for-rights-of-girl-children-activists/ 

Intel Stresses Technology Empowerment for the Girl Child

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World’s leading silicon innovator, Intel once again furthered the need to bridge the gender gap in technology by hosting female beneficiaries of its She Will Connect (SWC) programme, at the Genesis Deluxe Cinema, Victoria Island in Lagos.

Speaking at the occasion, Group Manager, Corporate Affairs, Intel, Babatunde Akinola observed that access to technology has opened up a world of many opportunities for women and the girl child, and it is transforming their roles across the world.Akinola explained that, breaking the stereotypes on appropriate career paths for girls was critical to women’s economic empowerment and employment, noting that, “We started “She Will Connect” with a mission to empower 5 million girls in the next five years. This is the first year running and we are excited that the initiative is already yielding fruits among the beneficiaries present today.”

He reiterated Intel’s commitment to constantly push for gender equality in the world of technology as well as equip young girls and women with digital literacy skills.

One of the beneficiaries, Opeyemi Anifowose, a Fashion designer expressed her gratitude to Intel for the initiative, stating that her participation at one of the training sessions had impacted greatly on her creativity.

Emancipating and empowering the girl child

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THERE is no perfect tool for future development in a nation more than empowering the girl child today. It’s certainly noon for some, dusk for some others, but for the girl child, it is, but a golden dawn, the birth of a new beginning. So, “it’s imperative we begin the search for the black goat before nightfall.”

The Female gender has been marginalized for so long Inequality is undoubtedly so entrenched in our society. The truth is, when the girl child is empowered everybody benefits, because she is the mother of tomorrow. She carries in her womb the continuity of the human race.

Having the right charismatic mentor instill in the girl child the spirit of self confidence, bravery, assertiveness, respect for her body; not giving in to casual sexual desires, knowledge on the importance of education, and make her gain as much information as needed to empower her, should be our utmost priority.

We need to really take decisive and proactive measures to bringing the girl child to a level playing field with the boy child. Gone are the days when women were consigned to the kitchen and taught culinary arts and men pleasing. The gospel of the paradigm shift in the position of the female gender should be carried to our rural communities where the cloak of nescience and back- ward traditional beliefs still hold sway.

The importance of investing in the girl child cannot be overemphasized and should be clearly understood by everyone.

Education, fundamental right of girl child – Aisha Buhari

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The Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has said education is the key that opens the door to opportunities and is the fundamental right of every girl child.

She made this disclosure at an event to commemorate the 2015 edition of Women and Girls Summit organised by the National Centre for Women Development yesterday in Abuja with the theme: “Empowerment and training: Innovating for girl child Education”.

According to her, ‘ It is only by chance that most Nigerian girls rise above the cultural and traditional systems of stratification that continue to cast women as inferior to their male counterparts economically, politically, and socially.’

Mrs Buhari who was represented at the occasion by the wife of the Secretary to the Federal Government, Mrs Alamanda Babadiri Lawal, said that those who escaped such subjugation have done so mostly by being empowered through education, adding that a good education offers Nigerian girl child an opportunity of being a valued member of the society.

“For girls in Nigeria and around the world, education can enable economic independence, political participation, and empower them with the necessary knowledge to activitively and effectively tackle oppressive norms that perpetuate different forms of violence against women and in contrast to the culture of gender inequality that persists, education serves as an avenue of exposure to a cultural alternative,” she said.

Education offers girl child opportunity of being valued in society - Aisha Buhari

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Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of the President, has said that a good education offered the Nigerian girl child an opportunity of being a valued member of the society.

She said this on Thursday in Abuja during the International Day of the Girl Child Summit, which was organised by the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) and commemorated yearly on October 11, 2015.

The theme of the celebration was ``Empowerment and training: Innovating for Girl-Child education’’.

Mrs Buhari, who was represented by Mrs Alamanda Lawal, wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said education was the key that opened the door to an opportunity to succeed beyond customary measures.

``Education is a fundamental right which is the only chance that most Nigerian girls have to rise above the cultural and traditional systems of stratification;

``That continues to cast women as inferior to their male counterparts, economically, politically and socially.

``A good education offers the Nigerian girl child an opportunity of being a valued member of the society.

``For girls, education can enable economic independence, political participation, and empower them with the necessary knowledge to actively and effectively tackle oppressive norms that perpetuate different forms of violence against women,” she said.

Girl-Child Empowerment - ENGINE launched in Nigeria

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In a bid to strengthen the educational and economic opportunities of the girl-child in Nigeria, Coca-Cola Nigeria and the United Kingdom Department for International Development Girls Education have partnered to launch the the Educating Nigerian Girls in Nigeria Enterprise (ENGINE) as of September 2015.

Speaking on the initiative which was launched simultaneously in Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja and Kano, the Program Manager, ENGINE, Ayodele Fajemilola, disclosed that the Lagos initiative would benefit over 6000 girls.

According to Fajemilola, “A vocational training program will be implemented in five Local Government Areas , namely Kosofe, Ojo, Bariga, Alimosho and Epe and about 6,357 girls will benefit from the program, which is aimed at empowering them educationally and economically.’’  She explained that initiative will empower young females with training modules in four important areas to help them succeed, “The girls will be taught four basic courses, namely, business education, life skills, financial education and savings education,” she said.

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/girl-child-empowerment/220633/

Empowering the girl-child through free, compulsory education

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Issues of concerns over the incidences of violation of the rights of children, especially the girl-child, have been on the top burner in recent times. Reasons are not far-fetched. The girl-child has over the years been taunted as weak and susceptible to societal ills ranging from rape, child labour, female genital mutilation, early marriage, trafficking, being used as baby factories and not admitted into formal education among others, the resultant effect being long term trauma for the victims.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), denial of rights to formal education is a violation of the child’s right and leads to ignorance, poverty and disease. It is an established fact that failure to invest in tackling headlong the problem of girl-child education leads to serious social and economic consequences leading to losses estimated at 2-8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
As noted by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, girls and women in Nigeria, as in other developing nations of the world, are systematically disadvantaged and face worse development outcomes than their male counterparts. Some of these challenges are reinforced by age-long prejudices and cultural stereotypes against the development of the girl-child.

Findings from the Nigeria Violence Against Children Survey released on September 10, 2015, carried out by the National Populations Commission (NPC) with support from UNICEF and the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention revealed a high prevalence of violence against children in Nigeria, especially the girl-child.

Banks Urged To Promote Women Empowerment

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Banks have been urged to promote women empowerment and equality in the financial landscape.

The Secretary General, United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, said in a statement made available to our correspondent that investing in women could yield a significant gender dividend.

He urged both public and private sectors at the Women Empowerment Principle Leadership Group meeting in New York to reap the benefit by investing in women and bringing them into leadership position.

Access Bank Plc represented by its Head, Group Human Resources, Mrs. Bolaji Agbede, highlighted several initiatives it was implementing to boost women empowerment and gender equality within the organisation and the Nigerian society at large.

Agbede listed the creation of Access Women Network as one of the organisational initiatives created to support and encourage women in the bank’s employment.

She said, “Outside Access Bank’s strong intermediation role in providing funding and training for women entrepreneurs through our partnership with the International Finance Corporation.

“We are equally aware of the challenges of career women and growing women, and consequently created the Access Women Network platform for women within our organisation to help them attain their personal goals and aspirations through mentoring and support.”

She added that as “the only Nigerian bank that has signed on to the Women Empowerment Principles unveiled in 2009, Access Bank had continued to demonstrate leadership in the area of women empowerment.

Child Labour: A Threat to Nigeria’s Future

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Child labour is so widespread in Nigeria that it has been accepted by many as part of normal life. But the practice is only an aberration which takes away the innocence of millions of children; it is a threat to the future of the country, writes Ebere Nwiro.

The Nigerian NGO’s Report reveals that a staggering 15 million children under the age of 14 are working across Nigeria. Many of these children are exposed to long hours of work in dangerous and unhealthy environments, carrying too much responsibility for their age. Working in these hazardous conditions with little food, small pay, no education and no medical care establishes a cycle of child rights violation. 

While children have always worked in Nigeria, the figures have significantly increased over the years. The end of the oil boom in the 70s, coupled with mounting poverty, has driven millions of children into labour.

The difficulties faced by the Nigerian child should really be looked into, as they have proven over the years that they are problems which are here to stay. Recent studies and reports, especially from the International Labour Organization (ILO) show that child labour has been made worse in recent times because some of these children have no solid background, no education and no parental care. In the circumstances, they become street hawkers. They work in the streets during the day, and work even at night in some cases. Such lifestyles become very dangerous and nomadic types of life. There is little wonder therefore, that the future of these children is very dark and bleak.

Many argue that child labour is associated with poverty. And, they believe that until concrete measures are taken to tackle and reduce poverty, child labour will continue to be with us. They say that parents and guardians who push their wards towards paid or unpaid labour do not do so as a matter of preference, most of them usually do so because they have been left with no other choice. Some do so because they are widowed and the means by which they can look after the family is severely limited.

Airtel empowering the less privileged in Nigeria through Airtel Touching Lives

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Airtel Nigeria’s revolutionary television programme, Airtel Touching Lives Season 2, enters episode 3 this Sunday, January 31st as the telco reaffirms its commitment to less privileged members of the society.

The episode 3 takes viewers to the city of Ibadan, Oyo State, capturing how Airtel came to the aid of less privileged kids. From same episode, viewers will also see how a 47 year-old man, Gbenga Adesida who was born blind was empowered to deal with the situation and other challenges.

The repeat broadcast of the compelling stories in episode 3 can be viewed on Africa Magic Family 154 on Saturdays 8pm to 8.30pm; Africa Magic Urban on Thursdays 7.30pm to 8.00pm; AIT on Sundays by 6.30pm to 7pm; NTA on Wednesdays by 8.30pm to 9.00pm and Arewa 24 TV on Sundays by 7.00pm to 7.30pm.

In episode 2, viewers saw how the telco gave lifeline to a man who battled an unknown, debilitating disease for several years. It also captured how Airtel employed innovative means to help several women and children in a community in Osun State.

The maiden episode of the show, showed how Airtel fulfilled its promise to Season 1 beneficiary, Mr. Essien Obong, a mathematician/software writer who became blind after an armed robbery attack. The telco came to his aid by providing him with a customized laptop, bespoke braille machine and other computer software to support him.

Impacting On Lives Of Less-Privileged Through Charity Organisations

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IMPACTING positively on the welfare of the less privileged, the orphans and perhaps, the elderly requires a great deal of sincerity, love and care and most importantly, fear of God as well as to a very large extent, patient on the part of the particular individuals behind the initiative. Charity organisation, also known as non-governmental organisation is inadvertently, a very important result-oriented platform through which the desired and sustainable turning around of the lives of the needy in the society can be guaranteed. To a very large extent, it is a realistic instrument designed with the aim of rendering certain free services in the area of education, financial assistance and medical services for different categories of such individuals so as to give them a sense of belonging.

The alarming rate of poverty in our society today, in addition to the undesirable circumstances that surrounds many individuals, particularly the orphans and those that are suffering from one form of perpetual health deformity or the other, calls for passionate concern by the relevant government’s authorities, corporate organisations and well meaning individuals. In advanced societies like UK, India, America and the rest of them, issues bordering on socio-economic well being of the less privileged are always treated with utmost priority. Although, there may be several NGOs in Nigeria but the fact remains that not many of them keep to their conventional social responsibility of assisting the people with some challenges without attaching how much profit he or she stands to derive from it at the end of the day and this scenario strongly negates the aims and objectives of NGOs in totality. Non-Governmental Organisations are supposed to, as much as possible, put profit making agenda aside as they are established to bring the much needed succor to the people.

Source: http://thepointernewsonline.com/?p=22768

58 killed, 78 injured in Dikwa IDP camp attack

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The National Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday, confirmed 58 people lost their lives and 78 other victims were injured after suicide bombers detonated explosives at the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Dikwa, Borno State.

Emergency workers reported that the incident occurred when the IDPs queued up to collect their morning food ration in a camp that currently accommodates over 50, 000 people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA in the North East, Mohammed Kanar, said some of those killed had been buried while the injured were moved to unnamed medical facilities.

Responding on Wednesday evening, the Nigerian government circulated a statement condoling with families of victims of the Dikwa attack.“On behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, expresses his profound condolences to the families of the victims of yesterday’s suicide bombing of an IDP camp in Dikwa, Borno State, and also the entire people and government of the state,” a statement by the vice president’s office said.

The IDPs: Lasting Ways To Re-Build Their Lives With Full Re- Integration In Nigeria

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In the history of Nigeria, a major unlimited crisis or national outbreak that will face us for a very long time is the issue of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) which is due to nature, tribal, religious induced conflicts and Boko Haram devastation especially.

Certainly, donating all sorts of relief materials to these involuntary migrants within their own country is a gesture that is needed more than ever at this time.

But with no adequate statistics on the numbersand whereabouts of the IDPs, fullysatisfying their basic needs remain a growing challenge. So identifying these persons in terms of their numbers and locations and then coordinating their care is a task that should continue aggressively.

Per the Government’s directives, forfeited materials and relief items in various Customs warehouses are being distributed to located IDPs and this is a good move but these items’ medical fitness and usage, must constantly be checked on. Especially, when they include food, clothing and other living items.

Any meaningful committee on matters relating to the IDPs must go beyond the typical or old style drawing process as in getting persons from various government agencies like the Police, Customs Service, Immigration Service and NGOs. There is a present day need to include or continue to engage clinicians and researchers from Universities, teaching and specialist centers as these psychosocial, psychiatric, psychological, social work, educational, childcare, medical, nutritional, vocational, physical planning and other related expertise know much more about the short and long terms needs of the IDPs.

2016 Budget and poverty alleviation

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By all accounts, the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to redeem his campaign promise of removing millions of Nigerians out of poverty is significant and exceptional. Analysts observe that although successive administrations initiated various measures and policies aimed at alleviating abject poverty among Nigerians, such efforts have not yielded meaningful results.

A World Bank’s global poverty rating placed Nigeria among the five poorest countries in the world. The report revealed that most Nigerians lived on less than one dollar per day. Jim Yong Kim, the World Bank President, while releasing the report at the April 4, 2014 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in New York, emphasised that Nigeria had one of the largest concentration of poor people. According to him, seven per cent of the world poor live in Nigeria in spite of the rebasing of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that ranked it as the largest economy in Africa.

Concerned about this development, President Muhammadu Buhari has earmarked N500 billion for social welfare packages to the vulnerable persons. This is contained in the administration’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper presented to the National Assembly. Buhari said that the Federal Government would collaborate with state governments in the implementation of the N500 billion social welfare packages to the vulnerable. “The Federal Government will collaborate with state government to institute well structured social welfare intervention programmes such as school feeding programme initiatives, conditional cash transfer to the most vulnerable,’’ he said. According to him, these interventions will start as pilot scheme and work towards securing the support of donor agencies and development partners to minimise potential risks. He said that the government would create a phased social welfare programme to cater for a larger population of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians.

Also, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to their welfare. He insisted that provisions made in the 2016 budget would reduce the sufferings of Nigerians, noting that the measures would be targeted at unemployed graduates, market women, artisans and farmers, among others. “We are aiming to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty through massive social interventions,’’ Mohammed said.

According to him, the school feeding programme that will provide one meal per day to school children, the conditional transfer of N5,000 monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians and access to loans by different categories of people, are among the measures for which provisions have been made in the 2016 budget. “In addition to providing succour, these measures will also stimulate the economy; just imagine the impact on the poultry sector alone if, for example, one egg is given daily to one million school children,’’ he said.

Poverty Eradication Efforts in Nigeria

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Successive regimes in Nigeria have tried different policies and programmers geared towards reducing the level of poverty in the society through a number of ways.  First, through the activities of its ministries/agencies; second, by collaborating with international agencies; third, and more importantly, through the establishment of agencies equipped solely to fight rising poverty and unemployment in Nigeria.

The Joda Panel, established at the inception of the civilian administration of Obasanjo to review the various poverty eradication programmers of the previous regimes, identified over twenty such institutions.  They are:

i.                 The National Directorate of Employment (NDE)

ii.                Peoples Bank of Nigeria (PBN)

iii.               Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank Ltd (NACB)

iv.               Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC)

v.                 National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE)

vi.               National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA)

vii.              National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)

viii.             National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education

ix.                Federal Agricultural Coordinating Unit (FACU)

x.                 Directorate for Foods, Roads and Rural Infrastructures (DFFRI)

xi.                Agricultural Projects Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (APMEU)

xii.               Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP)

xiii.              Industrial Development Centre (IDC)

xiv.              Federal Department of Rural Development (FDRD)

xv.               Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Power and Steel

xvi.              River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs)

xvii.             Family Support Trust Fund (FSTF)

xviii.           National Centre for Women Development (CWD)

xix.             Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI)

xx.              Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB)

xxi.             Nigerian Export-Import Bank

xxii.            National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND)

Perhaps a note on some of these institutions and programmes may be useful especially when some of them were designed to deal with the problems of poverty directly while others do it indirectly. 

The River Basin Development Authorities established by Decree 37 of August 1976 is one of the earliest attempt at combating poverty via improved agricultural production.  The main objective of the RBDAs is the economic exploitation and management of the land water resources of their respective areas of operation with particular but varying emphasis on the development of agriculture, fishing, human settlement, infrastructural facilities and industry as well as the improvement of their environment.  

The Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) enunciated in 1979 by Gen. Obasanjo’s military regime is another indirect effort at poverty eradication.  The program had the specific focus of increasing food production on the premise that availability of cheap food will raise the nutritional level of the ordinary Nigerian and invariably lead to high per capita income and improved standard of living.  OFN lasted until Shagari’s civilian government (1979-83) took over.  

World Bank report on poverty in Nigeria

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It is indeed a shame that for all her Gross National Income (GNI), Nigeria would be rated so highly in global poverty index.

The recent assessment by the World Bank on the situation of poverty in the world, where it ranked Nigeria third among world’s ten countries with extreme poor citizens is so worrisome and has once again provided reason to query what the government is doing about the endemic poverty as well as the usefulness of the recent rebasing of the Nigerian economy. This newspaper feels that the woeful result of the World Bank report is a very necessary wake up call on the Nigerian government to rethink its systems and policies that have continued to increase poverty in the country.

From the assessment, the World Bank established that Nigeria with about 170 million population falls among countries with extreme poverty whose over 70% population live on $1.25 (N200) or even less per day.  Specifically, the report revealed that 7% of the 1.2 billion people living below poverty line in the world are Nigerians. The report stated thus: “The fact is that two-thirds of the world’s extreme poor are concentrated in just five countries: India, China, Nigeria, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). If you add another five countries: Indonesia, Pakistan, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya, the total grows to 80 per cent of the world’s extreme poor.” Our survey discovered that the World bank ranked these countries based on their population and their share of the 1.2 billion extreme poor people in the world thus: India (33%), China (13%), Nigeria (7%), Bangladesh (6%), DRC (5%), Indonesia (4%), Pakistan (3%), Tanzania (3%), Ethiopia (2%) an Kenya (1%).

For this very poor result to be the fortune of a country that was recently rebased and declared by the national bureau of statistics (NBS) to have a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $510 billion (over N8o trillion), and as such the largest economy in Africa and the 26^th largest economy in the world, is grossly condemnable and most unacceptable. It is indeed a shame that for all her Gross National Income (GNI), Nigeria would be rated so highly in global poverty index. We feel the story should have been the reverse. It is so saddening to note that less than 10% of the country’s population amasses and controls over 90% of the country’s wealth and resources, causing so much poverty and leaving so many citizens dying of hunger and disease. The consequence has since manifested in the high rate of crime and insecurity in the country. This is rather most unfortunate. 

Among the causes of the endemic poverty in Nigeria as stated by the World bank report include harmful economic and political systems, national conflict and violence, human rights abuses, weak government effectiveness and efficiency, weak respect for rule of law, weak control of corruption, environmental conditions and changes, and population growth and changes. All of these are easily identified with Nigeria. But we feel that none of them would account for acute poverty in Nigeria as that concerning weak control of corruption. There is an incredible high rate of corruption in Nigeria, which has seen Transparency International (TI) ranking her equally very poorly in the global corruption index. 

Rural poverty in Nigeria

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The Federal Republic of Nigeria has a population of more than 160 million – the largest in Africa – and a fast-growing economy. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, contributing about 40 per cent of GDP. The agriculture sector employs approximately two-thirds of the country's total labour force and provides a livelihood for about 90 per cent of the rural population. Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava, yam and cowpea – all staple foods in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a major producer of fish. Yet it is a food-deficit nation and imports large amounts of grain, livestock products and fish.

Nigeria's huge agricultural resource base offers great potential for growth. Recent government policies have started to show results: The agricultural sector reportedly grew by 7 per cent a year between 2003 and 2007, and at a slightly lower rate in recent years.

Still, the area of land under cultivation could be doubled. Of an estimated 71 million hectares of arable land, only about half is presently under production. And there is substantial scope for an increase in irrigation, which now covers only 7 per cent of irrigable land. Irrigation and other inputs would substantially increase average yields for major staple crops, which are below those in other developing countries.

Despite Nigeria's plentiful agricultural resources and oil wealth, poverty is widespread in the country and has increased since the late 1990s. Some 70 per cent of Nigerians live on less than US$1.25 a day.

Poverty is especially severe in rural areas, where up to 80 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, and social services and infrastructure are limited. The country's poor rural women and men depend on agriculture for food and income. About 90 per cent of Nigeria's food is produced by small-scale farmers who cultivate small plots of land and depend on rainfall rather than irrigation systems.

The poorest groups eke out a subsistence living but often go short of food, particularly during the pre-harvest period. The productivity of the rural population is also hindered by ill health, particularly HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Women play a major role in the production, processing and marketing of food crops. Yet women and households headed solely by women are often the most chronically poor members of rural communities. Men have higher social status and, as a result, more access to schooling and training. In recent decades, the number of men migrating from rural areas in search of employment has increased, and the number of households headed solely by women has grown substantially.

Activist decries high poverty rate among Nigerian women

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“There will be no nation without women; hence when women are impoverished, the nation will also be impoverished” – UI’s Vice Chancellor.

A human rights activist, Mashood Erubami, has decried the high rate of poverty among women in Nigeria.

Mr. Erubami, the Director, Centre for Human Rights and Ethics in Development (CHRED), said this in a lecture he delivered at the 5th Professor Awe Annual Inspirational Lecture held at the University of Ibadan.

In the lecture titled “Women: Politics and Poverty, Implication for the Nation,” Mr. Erubami said that a country where more than half of its population representing women are poor is not a healthy nation.

He said when majority of women in any country are poor, they would resort to negative practices, such as prostitution, drug peddling, women trafficking and stealing.

To confront the challenges posed by poverty, Mr. Erubani called on women to forge active alliance and drop the idea of “we can’t do it and hoist the confidence of we can”.

The activist also called on the government to move beyond the ratification of international covenants on women and girls’ rights, by taking concrete steps to implement such rights.

Empowered To Empower Initiative (E2E) - About Us

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Empowered to Empower Initiative is a non-profit making organization registered in Nigeria with the core competence of ensuring that rural women are psychologically and financially empowered for a better livelihood; considering the abject poverty ravaging our rural communities.

Looking at the poverty level in our rural communities, United State Agency for International Development (USAID) released a damming report on the food insecurity level of Nigeria stating that about 138.6million Nigerians live on less than N302 ($2) per day, representing 92% of Nigeria’s total population (Tim Previth, MD USAID Market, during International Telecom Development Summit hosted by NCC in Abuja).

This report is alarming, but to us, it is challenging. Therefore, these rural women are enlightened and trained to start up petty businesses to beat the monster called POVERTY out of their lives. They were born in poverty, they have been living in it and it’s so bad with them that eating two square meals a day is a luxury and education is entirely something else.

Because women are better managers of resources, we look to:

• Reduce poverty within the rural women to the best minimum level
• Create a stream of income for the household
• Build a strong women empowerment network
• Ensure financial independence of the rural woman

E2E LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING ABUJA

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Empowered2Empower (E2E) Initiative is an NGO targeted at less privileged women who can be inspired to make a living for themselves as well as be delivered from the shackles of an impoverished life.
E2E Laundry & Dry cleaning service is an avenue to raise funds to support the NGO and provide qualitative service to the busy metropolitan populace of ABUJA at a very affordable and highly competitive price. Revenue realized from the Laundry and Dry cleaning is used to augment the finance needed to run the E2E initiative successfully.

The Laundry and Dry cleaning offers the following services:

• FREE PICKUP AND DELIVERY (Anywhere in F.C.T)
• WASHING
• IRONING
• DRY CLEANING
• GARMENT ALTERATION AND MODIFICATION

.......and many more!
YOU CAN CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER AND ARRANGE FOR PICKUP on the following lines:

• 07030663269
• 08032152220
• 08173486721

Or mail all needed details for pickup (Pickup Address, Delivery Address Phone Number, Suitable time and date for pickup and delivery) to: 

• azodecharles@gmail.com
• dadreamersworld@gmail.com