Ogun State – In a significant drive to empower women and alleviate poverty, a coalition of NGOs, have provided financial empowerment and support to women in the Soremekun Community, located in the Alabata area of Ogun State.
The NGOs include; the Rural Women Studies Association (RWSA), Gender Development Initiative (GenDi) and the Ogun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Education Gender Youth and Famil; Initiative for Peace and Comfort, Budding Leaders Empowerment Initiative, Hope for New Life Organization, Community Education Advancement of Peace & Development Initiative, Initiative for Peace and Comfort
Professor Helen Bodunde, a key partner in the initiative, and leader of Education Gender Youth and Family welcomed the community members and highlighted the collective goal of the program which was aimed at empowering women, alleviate poverty, and support the education of young girls.
She urged the women to be active participants in household decision-making and work as partners with their spouses, emphasizing the importance of family and societal support.
Reflecting on her experience with students, she explained that her passion to support women’s development led her to join forces with other organizations to address the unique needs of women in underserved areas.
In her keynote speech, Professor Olubunmi Ashimolowo, representing the GENDI Initiative and Chair of the Rural Women Studies Association, RWSA, Africa Chapter recounted the decade-long journey of the empowerment program.
She noted that through the establishment of a cooperative group, women in the community were encouraged to save portions of their earnings, fostering a culture of financial independence and mutual growth.
This cooperative model has enabled many women to grow their small businesses and expand their farming operations over the years.
“A cooperative society was initiated alongside other capacity-building programs, such as soap-making, teaching children how to make reusable sanitary towels, providing farming funds, and boreholes for neighboring communities,” Ashimolowo explained.
She also praised the women’s progress and highlighted the cassava waste-to-wealth project, which has become a profitable venture for many of the participants.
In their goodwill messages Prof. Comfort Onifade of the Initiative for Peace and Comfort, emphasized the organization’s mission to foster peaceful homes and a prosperous nation.
She pointed out that educating children, especially girls, was crucial for sustainable development and long-term national growth.
Also speaking, the co-chair of the Rural Women Studies Association Africa Chapter and Ogun State NIPR Chairperson, Mrs. Oluwaseun Boye stressed the role of women as critical drivers of the economy, citing the increasing number of women in leadership positions worldwide.
She encouraged the men present to support their spouses and provide equal opportunities to the girl child, underlining that women’s voices and contributions are essential for a thriving economy.
Beneficiaries of the initiative, Odunayo Somefun, expressed gratitude for the support that has helped them become financially independent. Another participant, Noimaot Kolade, a farmer, noted that the program's financial literacy training has transformed life in Soremekun, teaching women to save and reinvest rather than waste resources.
She applauded the cassava waste-to-wealth initiative as a valuable addition to the community’s resources.
In his response, the community head, Chief Isola Egbetoto commended the initiative of the group noting that the empowerment of the women at a critical time marked a positive step towards economic empowerment, skill development, and sustainable growth for the women of Soremekun Community.
At the end of the collaborative effort of these NGOs 16 women were empowered, representing 25 percent of women population in Soremekun Community.
In order to reach out to sizeable number of these women, another round of the empowerment program would be organised according to the Team Lead.
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