73,819 women that benefitted from the interventions of the Nigeria For Women Project (NFWP) in Akwa Ibom state have expressed excitement over their improved businesses.
The beneficiaries stated that before NFWP’s intervention, their businesses were failing and many employees were laid off due to financial constraints.
Some of the beneficiaries that spoke with newsmen during the inspection of the beneficiaries’ projects at Oruk Anam and Ibesikpo Asutan local government areas Tuesday, commended NFWP for saving their businesses from eminent collapse.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Uduak Udoudo, from Ikot Akpan Eda village, Oruk Anam local government area, said she started her piggery business with few pigs, but through the funds obtained from NFWP, she was able to expand the business and diversify into poultry and vegetable farming thereby generating more income.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Anyanime Obot, a palm oil producer at Ikot Akpabin village, Ibesikpo Asutan local government area recalled that her business profile had hitherto been low with only two staff before her involvement in the NFWP.
According to her, “Today in my business here I employ not less than 30 workers who assist me in various operations and I pay salaries to them at the end of every month, and we have made a good profit from this business.”
The Head of Operations and Communications, aries CONCEPT, the behavioral change communication firm handling the behavioral change aspect of NFWP, Adesola Oyawoye, expressed satisfaction at the level of implementation of Nigeria For Women Project in the state.
On his part, the Head of Operations (HOP) in the State Project Coordinating Unit(SPCU), Mr Nicholas Nwomo, said the project recorded 3,839 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) and the beneficiaries have exceeded World Bank’s targeted 54,000 number of beneficiaries and 3,600 Women Affinity Groups.
