The Aliko Dangote Foundation has empowered N25, 000 vulnerable women in Niger State with N250 million micro grant.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group of Company, said during the launching and disbursement of the fund to the women in Minna on Thursday that the program was aimed at improving the livelihood of women.
He explained that the program launched in 2012 has 1, 000 vulnerable women in each of the 774 Local Government Areas across the country.
Dangote said that the program was estimated to cost the foundation N10 billion and was aimed at complementing states governments’ effort in their economy empowerment and poverty reduction drive.
“The program is meant to support the socio-economy change through strategic investment and intervention that improves the lives of the less privileged in the country.
“The goals of the foundation are health, nutrition, education, economy empowerment and disaster relief,” he said.
The chairman added that the micro grant program was one of the component of the foundation to provide vulnerable women with unconditional cash transfer of N10, 000.
He said the program would help reduce their vulnerability and meet their livelihood needs, adding that the foundation had partnered Access Bank to open bank accounts for beneficiaries.
He, however, gave assurance of his continuous support of vulnerable women and deserving members of the society across the country and Africa as a whole.
In his address, Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, commended the foundation for its positive impact in the lives of million lives across the sub-Saharan Africa.
He said his administration had priorities women and youth’s empowerment, as 5, 000 youths have been trained on various vocational skills acquisition program.
Bello added that the skills acquisition and empowerment program had helped in improving the standard of living and changed the socio-economic status of women and youths in the state.
