The Federal Government through the Nigeria for Women Project initiative, NFWP has begun disbursement grants to more than 40,000 women in Abia state for economic empowerment and community development.

Supported by the World Bank, the NFWP project which commenced in 2018, will run over a five-year period in three designated local governments in six states from each geopolitical zone in the country. It is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba.

The implementation of the NFWP is carried out in four stages and these are building social capital; (Influencing social norms and Formation of Women Affinity Groups), Livelihoods program, Innovations and partnerships, and Project management (monitoring, evaluation and learning).

The Abia State Nigeria for Women Project was declared effective on the 27^th of May, 2019 following the fulfillment of the criteria of signing the Legal Loans Agreement by the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu and payment of the Counterpart fund of Fifty Million Naira.

Acting Permanent Secretary , Ministry of women affairs and social development, Abia state, The Very Reverend Jane Omereonye, lauded the impact of the NFWP on the lives of women in the 3 Local Governments of Obingwa, Isiala Ngwa North and Ohafia, adding that Abia state is equally poised to progress to enter into phase 2 of the project.

She said the Project has exceeded the target number of Women Affinity Groups (WAGS) and beneficiaries. the target is 54,000 individual beneficiaries grouped into 3,600 WAGs per state.  So far the number of Women Affinity Groups (WAG) formed in Abia state is 3,620 while the number of Beneficiaries (WAG members) is 72,803.

Reverend Omereonye who also acts as the chairman, state technical committee of Abia NFWP, says the state is currently in the second component of disbursement of livelihood grants to project beneficiaries. She however lamented the challenges which have slowed down the disbursement process.

The ABIA NFWP project has disbursed N60,000 each to 12,899 beneficiaries, amounting to N772, 946,300. With Disbursement still ongoing, an additional 29,942 women who recently developed their business plans will receive livelihood grants as soon as all paper work is finalized. It is expected that over 54,000 women will receive livelihood grants at the end of the project.

During a visit of a farming community in the ISIALA NGWA NORTH LGA of Abia state. ”The Royal Women” WAG led by their chairperson, Mrs Benedicta Ugochi Nwokoma, gave a tour of a cassava and maize farm. Mrs Nwokoma said all 25 members of the WAG borrowed about 72,000 Naira from the group’s loan fund to rent more than 5 plots of farming land. The women meet weekly and make monetary contributions to the WAG’s loan fund(contributions can range from 100-1000 Naira) and social fund. The social fund is set up to help members in times of emergencies.

Accoding to Mrs Nwokoma, women in this community learned of the NFWP initiative from the IHE ward 6 facilitator, Linda Nwanne. A ward facilitator is tasked with training members of WAGs.

Noting that this is the groups’s first attempt, Nwokoma said they expect to make over 150,000 Naira from sale of their farm produce and they hope to repay the loan from the profit made. Mrs Nwokoma also confirmed that some members of the royal women WAG have received the livelihood grant. Speaking of community engagement with the NFWP, Mrs Nwokoma said the women received massive support from their husbands, adding that they appreciate the initiative. She said in addition to the economic benefits derived from the WAG initiative, the women also enjoy social benefits by building a strong support system with willing and cooperative women.

One of the key components of the NFWP is promoting hamonious relationships in the target communities and guiding women to organize themselves into WAGs in the project communities. The women also receive trainings on Financial Education and Business Skills. The milestones recorded by the NFWP in Abia state is clearly evident with members of the Royal women WAG embarking on a joint business venture to generate further income.

Armed with knowledge of the economic benefits and skills of the NFWP intiative for women, Poultry farmer Jane Onyedika of ” The Progressives” WAG in Umukalu community in the Isiala Ngwa North LGA, decided to diversify from crop farming into poultry. The 60-year-old widow said she was initially hesitant to join the WAG, however IHE ward 7 facilitator, Chinasa Okeogu assured her of its transparency and advantages.

Cue in ——JANE ONYEDIKA

Mrs Onyedika said with the proceeds from poultry farming, she was able to pay a fee for her 24-year-old son to undergo training in an apprenticeship program. With an objective to increase economic diversification in these communities, the NFWP through loans from the WAGs’ savings account and disbursement grants of N60,000 each, enable women to expand existing businesses, start a new business or diversify into other businesses.

Seamstress, Mrs Evelyn Jacob of ”the Favoured women” WAG in Ward 9 of Isiala Ngwa north LGA) said joining the WAG helped her to diversify into selling baby clothes which greatly improved her life and came in handy when she delivered her baby girl. Mrs Jacob who also praised her husband for his overwhelming support with her being a WAG member, said her monthly take-home profit is between 150-200,000 naira.

Mrs Gladys Oluchi Amalanha of The Royal Women WAG  expressed similar sentiment on the support received from their husbands. She said her husband supports her without reserve. Mrs Amalanha who confirmed that she had received her livelihood grant of 60,000 Naira, said she used it to buy a cassava grinding machine.  The proceeds from her cassava grinding business has had a positive impact on the quality of life for her and her family.

A common theme witnessed across the different wards in the Isiala Ngwa North LGA is the unwavering support the women beneficiaries of the NFWP have received from their husbands and the communities. 

Employing the use of jingles on radio and television to effect behavioral changes in communities across the state, the project conveyed messages on poverty reduction and improvements in the well-being of the project beneficiaries & their family members, which largely benefits the whole community in the long run.

Also worthy of note is the work of the ward facilitators who have played a major role in the sensitization campaigns in the target communities. Their diligence and steadfastness in educating the women about the NFWP intiative and its attendant benefits have contributed majorly to the economic empowerment of women in otherwise marginalized communtities.

Over 62,000 women beneficiaries have successfully received trainings on Introduction to Savings and Credit, Financial Education , Business Skills and Gender and Life Skills training in Abia state.  This has provided the women with a sense of financial independence for women, allowing them to contribute freely to household income and promote community development.

On the challenges encountered with the disbursement of livelihood grants, the Abia State Project Coordinating Unit says it is working with the technical team to fix all failed transactions, review all submitted business plans (BPs) for round 2, get approval from World Task Team and ensure continuous grant payment until all beneficiaries receive grant.

Abia State Nigeria for Women Project received a commendation letter from the World Bank Task team for achieving the target of forming 2000 WAGs in 2021. Members of the WAGs in Abia state have been able to generate over NGN 281.9million as loan funds from savings contributed at weekly meetings. The Amount of loan accessed by the WAG members is N102,013,420.00 with loan amount repaid at N61,518,244.00. The State government is also following up on requirements/guidelines from the World Bank Task Team in its efforts to expand the project and replicate the achievements recorded in Obingwa, Ohafia and Isialangwa North LGAs to the remaining 14 LGAs in the State.

—– Story by Tokunboh Wright