Abakaliki, Nigeria – The Wife of Ebonyi Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has inaugurated an Empowerment programme to improve the livelihood of Small-scale businesses in rural markets.
The Empowerment programme is in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of the Wife of the President, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, and the Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally- Displaced Persons Foundation (BERWO).
The beneficiaries were drawn from the 13 local government areas in the state.
Sources close to the foundations indicate that each beneficiary was empowered with N50,000, bundles of wrappers, and cartons of female hand bags which they will sell at affordable prices to cushion the effects of high prices of commodities during the festive period.
Mrs Nwifuru advised the traders to reduce the cost of those commodities in the market to make life bearable for the people.
She promised to assist women in the state to advance gender equality and make meaningful contribution to the society.
The state Commissioner for Education, Prof Paul Nwobashi, who received educational materials on behalf of students in the state, appreciated Mrs Nwifuru and promised to share the materials judiciously to students.
Mrs Chioma Okenmiri, a Beneficiary, thanked the First lady, Mrs Tinubu, and Mrs Nwifuru for giving women hope, especially during the current hardship.