A Non-Governmental Organisation, SOS Children’s Villages, has disbursed a N60 million grant to vulnerable persons in Borno State to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and improve their livelihoods, which have been impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency.
At the Musa Usman Conference Centre in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Ayodeji Adelopo, Chief Program Officer at SOS Children’s Villages in Nigeria, presented the grant to 10 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
Adelopo stated that the grant’s goal is to provide financial empowerment to VSLA members, enabling them to invest in their businesses, increase their income, and enhance their standard of living.
According to him, the project selects communities based on an assessment that identifies areas with vulnerable children, with the goal of empowering families to care for their children and support other families within the community.
He described the project’s approach as “supporting local businesses and ventures within the same community and helping them access grants that do not need to be repaid.”
Adelopo emphasized the importance of the initiative, especially in communities that lack access to social welfare services or support structures.
He also highlighted the benefits of VSLAs, including increased access to banking services and the ability for members to open bank accounts.
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Adelopo added that accountability measures are in place, including registration with the government, reporting to the bank, and local community structures.
“We believe that by maintaining good relationships with the businesses and communities we support, this initiative will multiply and grow over time,” he said.
Beneficiaries of the SOS Children’s Villages grant, including Hajja Fatima Mala, Fatima Kyari, and Yanabintu Usman, expressed gratitude for the support, saying it will improve their businesses and livelihoods.
They promised to use the grant wisely to expand their businesses, provide for their families, and improve their standard of living.
The beneficiaries described the grant as a “lifeline” and a “sigh of relief” that will help them grow their businesses and improve their lives.
