In a bid to bring Nigerians, particularly women out of poverty, Progressives Ladies of Honour Rock Club, has urged the federal and state governments to support its vision of improving the lives of women in Nigeria.
Speaking in Abuja Sunday, at an event to launch the association’s wrapper and empowerment scheme, its President, Mrs Fathia Omolola Oyesiji, said the association is aimed at bringing different women together and ensuring that there is a network of support amongst them.
Mrs Oyesiji said the association is helping businesses of women grow and addressing the spate of domestic violence, among other societal issues affecting the lives of women.
She stated that over 10 women were empowered with the sum of 30,000 naira each for business startups, while others that had skill but lacked equipment to start up were given materials like grinding machine, deep fryer, among others.
She said: “Progressive Ladies of Honors Rock Club was put together to bring women together from different diversity, lift each other, support each other’s businesses, mingle and connect. The vision and the mission behind this association is for women to create a chain-like connection where they can hold each other’s hands and form a networking ladder — a networking channel to hold each other’s hands and become a better version of themselves.
“It is also to help sisters to advertise their businesses, promote sisters businesses, refer people to them and empower ourselves, where you see where sisters need assistance, assist them. Where you see where you can connect them to get stuff at cheaper prices, connect them and at the same time, we have fun.
“Most women here cannot be found in the case of domestic violence. If you look at most homes that find themselves in domestic violence and the issue of assaults, most times it is the issue of money, and this is because they don’t have enough, they’re waiting for the husband to bring money and he cannot provide. But here, we bring women together. Women that can assist their men, women that don’t need to wait for their men before they can do things, women of honor.
“On this note, we need the help of the government because we wish to do better if we have more funds but with the little that we have put together we’re still going to be doing a lot. We still plead to anyone that is associated with the Ministry of Women Affairs, we plead to the Federal Government to come to assist so we can be able to empower women.”
On her part, one of the protocol members of the association, Funmilayo Aruba, said: “This association, in the next two years, I see it going higher and better than now. In business, family, business, and in finances we would grow, because we are determined to help fellow women who own businesses to grow and live well.”
Commending the association, one of the beneficiaries of the association’s empowerment scheme, Msendoo Ayamkebem, said: “I joined the association this year around January and so far, they have empowered me. The time they went for a visit in my house, they empowered me with 50 thousand to start up my business which I was doing before I went down the drain, so to revive. In fact, I was having more customers. I had more demand than supply. Anytime I have yam, they will rush it and so far I am still doing well in the business and I am not the only one, there are many too.”
Speaking also, the winner of the association’s beauty pageants, Queen Elizabeth Agbor, while expressing gratitude, said: “Winning the beauty pageant is a great achievement for me; I thank God for the honor, the work and opportunities ahead.”
