Women Environmental Programme (WEP) has called for the support of government, donor agencies and other CSO’s to develop entrepreneurial skills for women and youths in rural communities on ICT.
Dr Priscilla Achakpa, Founder/Global Lead WEP made the appeal at the Unveiling of WEP office building and halls on Thursday in Abuja.
She said that the development of such ICT skills would enable them to monitor their farms and uplift them from the current poverty level.
Achakpa said: “We are looking for partners to build entrepreneurial skills to support our young people and women from the rural communities so that at the end of the day we will be able to uplift them from that poverty level.
“So, we need our partners’ support on ICT in agricultural development because food is life and if you do not have food is a challenge.”
Achakpa said WEP was committed to expanding its scope and impact of her work with particular interest to grow, saying, “our skills building, entrepreneurship initiatives to upskill women in the key areas of ICT and agriculture.”
According to her, the programme also avails them of start-up support and continued technical and all-round guidance to enable them to thrive in business.
Achakpa said the organisation was trying all it could to build the skills and businesses of rural women to avoid remaining dependent on society but rather independent and continue to expand with the proceed they get.
“This way, we believe can contribute to ending poverty and the variegated associated challenges which are manifesting in the growing insecurity, violent extremism and mass irregular migration episodes.
“For us to achieve these, we need further financial and other forms of support.
”Most of the businesses in the country are folding up because of insecurity challenges but this is attributed to the impact of climate change and poverty level.
“So, unless we go to the grassroots and continue to empower the communities and look at the ways we can address the impact of climate change we still have a long way to go.
“Let us look at adaptation, let us look at ways to address the impact of climate change and empower the communities, ” she said.
Achakpa said the edifice which comprises of a multipurpose training facility and office complex was built from the Hapag-Llyod, Albert Ballin Award for Global Action she received in May 2022 in Hamburg, Germany.
She said the award which included a monetary prize of 50,000 euros was given to individuals or institutions whose innovative actions demonstrate how to assume social, cultural, and political responsibility for our world.
“Instead of using the money to buy clothes, gold and other material things that will fade away, I opted to reinvest the monies in my goal of constructing a multipurpose training facility and office
complex.
” The facility and complex will provide services to women-led and grassroots organisations, academicians, researchers, and students who might use them for varied activities.
“WEP, on the other hand, will continue to provide training and empowerment programmes to grassroots women’s organisations and other stakeholders.
“This is in order to improve livelihood programmes and quality of life in a world where women’s and youth’s lives are positively transformed,” Achakpa said.
Vishal Bundhun, Area Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd, West and Central Africa said the building speaks volumes, not merely in terms of architectural grandeur, but in the language of empowerment, sustainability, and change.
Bundhun said the structure, crafted with passion and dedication by WEP-led Achakpa, embodies the very values that Hapag-Lloyd holds close to its heart.
The award, according to him, embodies Hapag-Lloyd’s commitment to fostering networking, advocating for the marginalized, and promoting global initiatives that contribute to a more interconnected and compassionate world.
He said that Achakpa’s remarkable achievement in winning the award and her subsequent accomplishment in constructing the ‘transformative building’ underscore the alignment of her efforts with the spirit of progress and positive change that the organisation hold dearly.
Bundhun said the building stands as a testament to the progress that could be achieved when purpose-driven individuals and organisations unite.
He further identified it as a testament to the potential within each and every one to make a difference, irrespective of background or fields of endeavour.
Bundhun said that the centre stood as a testament to a shared belief in gender equality, empowerment, and sustainability.
“We are gathered here to celebrate a remarkable achievement – a testament to the power of determination, vision, and the unyielding commitment to making a positive impact on our world.
“We unveil not just a building but a symbol of transformation and empowerment, a beacon that will guide us towards a brighter future.
“This magnificent complex, constructed by the WEP under the visionary leadership of Achakpa, resonates with the principles that Hapag-Lloyd holds dear: responsibility, innovation, and global action.
”The Albert Ballin Award, won by Achakpa in 2022, stands as a beacon of recognition to her exemplify the profound impact of innovative actions in assuming social, cultural, and political responsibility for our world,” he said.
He said that Albert Ballin was a risk-taker who was willing to challenge his colleagues, competitors, and domestic politics in order to build a successful shipping company.
Bundhun said: “He was a pioneer of globalisation and innovation, embodied the spirit of crossing borders, fostering connections, and paving the way for progress.
“In honour of his legacy, we established the Albert Ballin Award for Global Action, recognizing those whose innovative actions inspire positive change on a global scale,“ he said.
