No fewer than 5,000 residents drawn from the 326 wards of Anambra State have benefited from a large-scale empowerment programme spearheaded by the wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo.
The empowerment exercise, which began on September 10 during the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, continued at the Lighthouse, Awka, with beneficiaries receiving various tools and equipment aimed at supporting their livelihoods and reducing poverty.
Addressing participants, Mrs Soludo described the initiative as “the mother of all” her empowerment projects, explaining that about 1,000 beneficiaries were supported on the first day before the exercise was extended across all the local government areas of the state.
She said ward committees were constituted across the 326 wards to identify deserving beneficiaries, adding that names were replaced where selected individuals were found not to require the equipment.
According to her, “The programme is driven by the desire to support people who are willing to work, start businesses and become self-reliant.
“The beneficiaries have been grouped on WhatsApp according to their local government areas to enable continuous monitoring, mentorship and accountability.
“I urge the beneficiaries to use the equipment effectively and train others to multiply the impact of the intervention.”
Explaining the motive behind the empowerment, the governor’s wife said the ultimate goal was to support indigent people at the grassroots and help them improve their means of livelihood.
According to her, the current hardship in the country makes it imperative for governments and well-meaning individuals and organisations to provide whatever form of succour they can to support struggling citizens and help them make ends meet.
Addressing mothers among the beneficiaries, Mrs Soludo urged them to be intentional about raising their children, warning them against exposing their children to acts that could jeopardise their future.
She also advised residents to remain cautious amid recent flooding in parts of the state, urging those in vulnerable communities to stay alert, educate children on flood safety and relocate when necessary.
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She further called on residents to report cases of child abuse and other harmful practices to the appropriate authorities, stressing the need for communities to look out for one another.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Esther Onyekesi, commended the governor’s wife for her sustained support for women, children, Persons With Disabilities and people living with mental health challenges.
She recalled that Mrs Soludo recently empowered nine people living with mental health challenges who were undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation facility in Nteje.
Speaking on behalf of Persons With Disabilities, the State Chairman of the Joint Association of Persons With Disabilities, Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, described the intervention as unprecedented, saying it was the first time people with disabilities from communities across the state had been included in such a large-scale empowerment programme.
He pledged that the beneficiaries would put the equipment to productive use to improve their livelihoods.
