Beneficiaries of Dangote Cement Plc empowerment schemes at Obajana have spoken glowingly about how the company’s social programmes have impacted their lives.
Speaking to newsmen at Obajana in Kogi State, Oluwafisayo Obanla, a beneficiary who was trained and equipped in poultry farming, expressed gratitude to the company for giving him the opportunity to become a qualified poultry farmer.
He said that in addition to the 50 Point-Of-Lay Birds the company gave him, he had expanded his stock by acquiring 150 broilers, and he now enjoys a steady income through daily egg sales.
According to Obanla, the Obajana community has undergone a significant transformation, as beneficiaries have also employed members of their families and communities.
In 2023, the company trained 30 youths from Oyo, Iwaa, Apata and Obajana host communities, equipping them with essential vocational skills.
In her reaction, Berida Omaleke Ruth, a beneficiary from the Apata Community, thanked the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, for giving her the opportunity to be a poultry farmer.
Omaleke disclosed that her quest for employment after graduating from the University had to stop because the new business had provided her a new lifeline.
She said that even with the high egg turnout, she could not meet her customers’ demands.
Similarly, in her response, Dupe Sani from the Iwaa Community, trained in fashion design, expressed to the Dangote Cement the opportunity to fulfil her lifelong ambition of becoming a fashion designer.
“Since we graduated from the Dangote Cement training programme, I have bought four machines, and I have four apprentices under me,” she said.
On her part, Bunmi Joseph, from the Oyo Community, lauded Alhaji Aliko Dangote for training her and turning her into an entrepreneur.
“Like Dangote, I am also an employer of labour,” she proudly affirmed while thanking the company for what she said was a rare life opportunity.
About two years ago, the company trained and graduated 40 women in Fashion Design at its cement plant in Obajana, reinforcing its commitment to fostering self-sufficiency and economic empowerment within host communities.
