Business

RHI, Elumelu lift 500 small scale women business owners with N100,000 each

By Our Reporter,The Nation

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RHI, Elumelu lift 500 small scale women business owners with N100,000 each

As part of its efforts to empower women economically, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in conjunction with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, yesterday has launched the Women Economic Empowerment Programme in Imo State and other states of the country and FCT.

Flagging-off the programme at the Banquet Hall, Government House Owerri, the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in her address read by the wife of the Imo State Governor Barr. Chioma Uzodimma, disclosed that the economic empowerment programme is about supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of women traders and small scale business owners who each day are determined to provide for their families, educate their children as well as uplift their communities.

The First Lady applauded the Tony Elumelu foundation for donating the sum of N1billion to the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to support 18,500 women across the nation, with 500 women from each of the 36 States and FCT will receive N50,000 to strengthen their businesses.

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She prayed that the act of generosity would inspire many across the nation to sustain their efforts.

The First Lady further disclosed that the governor of Imo State in his magnanimity increased the Tony Elumelu kind gesture by adding another N50,000 each making it N100,000 to be given to the pre-selected beneficiaries from the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State.

Senator Oluremi emphasized that the empowerment was not a loan, stressing that it was a grant; a seed of the Renewed Hope Initiative to help them re-capitalize their existing businesses.

In her words, “it is my belief that when you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community and indeed a nation,” “The First Lady opined.

She expressed gratitude to the governor of Imo State, Uzodimma and his wife Chioma, for all their support in executing all the programmes of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

The event was attended by the wife of the former Governor of Imo State, Barr. (Mrs.) Chioma Ohakim, female vice chairmen, councilors, women leaders and many other prominent women from the state.

Highpoint of the programme was the presentation of N100,000 cash each to the selected 500 women by the First Lady of Imo State at the event.