Economic Empowerment for Women

As stated in our previous reports, a struggle for resources is one that many grass roots organizations face, including ESWA. To solve this looming problem, an organization needs to be resourceful, innovative and resilient.

Luckily, these are all characteristics which are embedded into our team here at ESWA. On that note, I am pleased to announce a collaboration with an up-and-coming publishing company called New Africa Comics (NAC). NAC has agreed to both help spread awareness of the issues facing our market women traders as well as to donate a portion of the funds from their sales to ESWA.

It is innovative collaborations like these which enable an organization like ESWA to continue with the work that we do and fuels us to strive to do more. We will report more on this collaboration as it progresses – watch this space……. 

Common challenges with self-help grassroot charity like ESWA is accessing funds, technology to sustain and develop projects. ESWA is not isolated from these challenges. We have gone too far to turn back. Therefore; the search for compatible partners continues.

Our doors are open wide. We recently accepted a meeting with private food manufacture cooperation to start negotiation on income generation for our women. If all side agrees, there will be a real chance to continue our E-wise program (Empowering Women into Sustainable Earnings). This program is our main focus to bring about Economic Empowerment for Women in our community.

We are still in search for a training coordinator to join our development team in delivering financial capability education to all three governmental districts in Edo State.
Keep eye on this page for future project report.

Thanks to the networking events and community engagement activities carried out last year; our support network is growing fast, as supported by our website and social media analytics. In addition, our blog volunteers have also played a part in increasing our community engagement.

Edo State Women Association (ESWA) is using this momentum to approach compatible business partners to help kick start the E-WISE program. We are currently in talks with few companies in the third and private sectors, with the aim of forming a working partnership. For example, one of the companies we are in talks with is the non-profit organisation, who provide personal finance education and resources for women in the United States. Despite the difference in the location, there is a very similar objective ESWA wants to achieve in Edo State, Nigeria; as a result, we hope this and other organisations that share our vision can partner with us and provide the technical resources necessary to secure this project.

Furthermore, we are still searching for a training coordinator to join our development team and help deliver training to all three governmental districts in Edo State.

COMMUNITY EVENTS / DEVELOPMENT

Both events in Atlanta (Edo Worldwide Convention) and in Lagos (Victoria Garden City Cultural Carnival) was very successful. We were able to engaged with people who are interested in our work of economic empowerment for women. Our list of supporters has grown and we are able to reach more valuable supporters.

We are planning to engage a new training coordinator to coordinator our financial literacy training program. An applicant has been selected pending on successful necessary checks. We hope the new training coordinator will start working soon.

We are very pleased with the recent developments in our region:

-          The World Bank has said that Edo State has become a model for development financing at the sub-national level in developing countries. World Bank Executive Director, Angola, Nigeria and South Africa sub-group, Ms Bongi Kunene, gave the verdict during a lunch organised for 10 visiting World Bank Executive Directors, at the government house, Benin City, Edo State capital.

-          Federal government hope to complete the Itakpe-Ajeokuta-Warri rain line before end of this year. This will resolve the transportation challenge face by people in the villages

We believe it will uplift our women living standard and boost their trade.

Our training centre in Benin City is now been manned by our volunteers Mondays to Friday.

We have been offered a free stall in two community events;

USA – Atlanta: Edo Worldwide Convention and

Nigeria – Lagos: Victoria Garden City Cultural Carnival. I am using this Global Giving quarterly report opportunity to inform all those who may want to meet with us in person to do so.  Our team will be there to answer any questions or concern you may have.

Within the organisation, we have begun mobilising volunteers in Nigeria and the content created from these volunteers will be uploaded on our website shortly.

***VOLUNTEER FOR ESWA***

If you would like to volunteer for ESWA, please register your interest here: www.edowomen.org.uk/welcome-to-edo-state-womens-association/contact-us/  or our social media pages. Training will be provided and we are excited to bring new talent into our organisation. Learn about the charity sector, gain skills in blog writing and website management and gain experience that will make your CV stand out!