Group empowers women, students with N.8m start-up capital, scholarships

A socio-cultural group, Umuada Igbo, on Tuesday in Abuja, empowered no fewer than 11 women with N500,000 start-up capital.

The National Daily reports that 14 primary and secondary students also received scholarship from the group.

The President, Umuada Igbo, FCT Branch, Dr Lilian Ogugua, said that the group empowered the women in various skills, businesses and financial grants to make them self-dependent.

Ogugua also said that the empowerment came as a result of the outcry of women in the city who had been suffering due to hard times.

“We are empowering them today through a rigorous process of selection and we have educated them to understand why we are empowering them.

“We are giving out cash worth N500,000 whereby each of the women will receive N50,000 from money donated by members of the group and support from affiliate organisation from USA.

“This will serve as start–up capital for them to engage in businesses that will lift them out of poverty. We are also giving out scholarships to 14 primary and secondary students.

“The total amount is N836,000 being given out to assist the women in businesses and students for scholarship,’’ Ogugua said.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mrs Prudentia Igbokwe, said that hard work and diligence were basis for selecting the beneficiaries.

According to Igbokwe, the selection bid followed students who performed well in their various academic endeavours.

“From the spelling bid conducted in Junior Secondary School, Kabusa and JIP Heritage Academy, Jikwoyi, the students were selected based on their outstanding performances,’’ she said.

Igbokwe pointed out that the group would monitor the activities of the beneficiaries to ensure that the money was judiciously used.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Blessing Emeronye, expressed delight over the gesture and urged more people in the society to render such assistance to the less privileged.

According to Emeronye, if more people can render such help, it will go a long way to eradicate poverty in the country.