EMPOWER HIGHLY VULNERABLE WOMEN IN NIGERIA.

Dear Partner,

Hope this meets you well. Below is an update on our project.

Across the world, women juggle work with family and care responsibilities, and Nigeria is no exception. Early marriage and family formation play a critical role in women’s access to jobs and it is a more significant issue for young women from poorer households than others. Although girls are more likely to leave school early than boys, they do not then get a job. Instead, young women are much more likely to marry early than men are. In Nigeria, at age 20, less than 4% of men are married,compared to about 50% of women in rural areas. With early marriage comes early pregnancies and household responsibilities that effectively remove women from labour market opportunities. Women in Nigeria are less likely to be active in the labour market; more likely to
be in lower-earning opportunities like farming and informal jobs; and earn less for a given level of education and experience than men of the same level. The situation is worse for our target beneficiaries due to their unique vulnerabilities.

Our project economically empowers highly vulnerable women in Nigeria specifically: women living with disabilities, survivors of sexual /domestic violence and unemployed widows through vocational skill acquisition and access to business grants. The vocational training program covers viable and in-demand skills such as tailoring, hairdressing and outdoor catering poultry business. The Program runs for 6 months 8 months depending on the skill and learning pace of the women. After succesful completion of the training Beneficiaries are given small business grants to start up their businesses. Nnadozie Foundation continues to provide coaching to ensure business success. 

We have succesfully supported 200 vulnerable women to start up medium scale poultry businesses. Beneficiaries were provided with training, poultry equipment, feed and vet services. Proceeds from the poultry business has lifted many families out of poverty and given beneficiaries opportunity to send their children to school, access health care and live productively.

We are grateful to all our partners for the support and request that you continue to support our work by donating and sharing our work with your contacts.

THANK YOU!

THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF POVERTY IN NIGERIA. OVER 70% OF ITS CITIZENS LIVE BELOW $1.65 A DAY. WOMEN MOSTLY BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE UNFAVORABLE ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE NATION DUE TO UNEQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION OR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, COMPARED TO THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. THIS RESULTS IN FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TO ACQUIRE EDUCATION, SKILLS OR INCOME EARNING OPPORTUNITY. HENCE MOST LOCAL WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN HAVE LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING OR THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE THEIR POTENTIALS. FURTHERMORE, A RECENT STUDY BY THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNPFA) NIGERIA, FOUND OUT THAT 28% OF NIGERIAN WOMEN AGED 25-29 HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE SINCE AGE 15. 44% OF DIVORCED, SEPARATED OR WIDOWED WOMEN REPORTED EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE, WHILE 25% OF MARRIED WOMEN OR THOSE LIVING WITH THEIR SPOUSES HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE.

THE MOST COMMON ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN NIGERIA INCLUDE SEXUAL HARASSMENT, PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES, EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE, SOCIO-ECONOMIC VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST NON-COMBATANT WOMEN IN CONFLICT SITUATION.

THE SITUATION IS WORSE FOR OUR PROJECT BENEFICIARIES IN NIGERIA DUE TO THEIR OBVIOUS CHALLENGES AND INADEQUATE SOCIAL PROTECTION IN NIGERIA.

THIS BEAUTY FOR ASHES PROJECT OFFERS SUCCOUR AND OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGHLY VULNERABLE WOMEN TO SUCCESFULLY REINTEGRATE SOCIALLY, REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND FULFIL THEIR POTENTIALS THROUGH:

1. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT THROUGH VOCATIONAL SKILL ACQUISITION AND ACCESS TO BUSINESS GRANTS. THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM COVERS AREAS SUCH AS TAILORING, HAIRDRESSING, PROFESIONAL MAKE UP SKILL, CATERING AND EVENTS MANAGEMENT. THE PROGRAM RUNS FOR 6 MONTHS- 1 YEAR DEPENDING ON THE SKILL AND LEARNING PACE OF THE WOMEN. AFTER SUCCESFUL COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING BENEFICIARIES ARE GIVEN SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS TO START UP THEIR BUSINESSES. NNADOZIE FOUNDATION WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE COACHING TO ENSURE BUSINESS SUCCESS.

  2.ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES                ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS TO ENABLE THE BENEFICIARIES GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND OTHER METAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

 3. PROVISION OF FOOD, CLOTHING, GROCERIES AND TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR THE VULNERABLE WOMEN AND GIRLS – WOMEN RECEIVE AT LEAST 1 MONTH SUPPLY OF FOOD ITEMS SUCH AS RICE, BEANS, ETC. TEMPORARY SHELTER AND CLOTHING ARE PROVIDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES FOR SECURITY OR FINANCIAL REASONS.

 4.LINKING SURVIVORS TO RELEVANT INDIVIDUALS AND AGENCIES WHERE THEY CAN GET JUSTICE, PROTECTION AND OTHER FORMS OF SUPPORT.- WE LINK BENEFICIARIES TO AGENCIES SUCH AS NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, NIGERIAN POLICE ETC FOR FURTHER SUPPORT

WE ARE COMMITTED TO OFFERING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PROJECT BENEFICIARIES TO THRIVE. NNADOZIE FOUNDATION IS CONTINUALLY SEEKING MORE PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE WE REMAIN ABLE TO EMPOWER MORE WOMEN AND REDUCE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN NIGERIA.