At least 2,500 female entrepreneurs in Delta state are to be empowered under the third phase of the MORE Grant Scheme of Delta state government after training by a global company.
The state Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl-Child Development, Orode Uduaghan who disclosed this at a news conference in Asaba said 500 female entrepreneurs would be drawn from each of the 25 local government areas of the state for the training.
Uduaghan said after the training which is being conducted at the various local government councils, 100 beneficiaries from each councils will be selected from the empowerment.The amount to be given to the beneficiaries is however not disclosed.
She recalled the launching of the scheme on May 23 this year by Gov Sheriff Oborewovori where 50000 artisans and petty traders were empowered with over N500million.
The commissioner quipped: “What we are doing in this third phase is going to be different from what we did with artisans and petty traders.
“For the female entrepreneurs, we are collaborating with Enterprises Development Center, Pan African University, Lagos
” They have collaborated with the Master Card Foundation which wants to empower over 3 million Africans with skills.
“So we are collaborating with them to bring that training to Delta state and they are hoping to train 500 girls per local and it is a huge one.
“It will be 100% funded by Master Card Foundation, so the training is zero cost to the state government.
According to the commissioner, unlike in the first and second phases where the ministry carried out verification, and screening to select beneficiaries, the female entrepreneurs are expected to apply online which the link was put out over a month ago.
She said over 5,000 female entrepreneurs have so far applied for the training.
Uduaghan made it clear that those applicants who will go through screening would be trained by the global company and thereafter list the top participants who are qualified to get the MORE Grant from the state government.
However, she said those who wouldn’t scale through the screening can still have access to single-digit loans.
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