Amani Muslim Women Empowerment Group, has given grants to six women entrepreneurs to boost small-scale businesses .
The Coordinator of the initiative, Hajiya Hadrat Omipidan, speaking at the Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja, said the support was part of the group’s major project for the year.
Omipidan said that 250,000 had been given to each woman to upscale their business and help them stabilise against economic challenges.
She said the grant would enable more women; build momentum and connections that would foster sustainable social and economic developments.
“We started Armani Muslim Women Empowerment Initiative, five years ago; it is about giving back to the society.
“We have done a lot of projects in the past. We have gone to correctional centres, we have gone to hospitals, in fact last month,, we did another hospital charity.
“So that’s part of our own giving to society. Today, we are giving grants to some of our members, because we believe charity begins at home.
“We get these moneys from our sponsors and from our members. There is nothing we got from government. It is by our personal savings, and from our sponsors, ”she said.
Omipidan commended the sponsors for their support over the years, adding that “May God continue to bless them, and grant them their wishes.”
She implored the government to help women stabilize economically.
“I am sure if our First Lady can help us with grants like this, we will be able to do more for our society.
“We have been doing so many charity outreaches; during Ramadan, we fed over 300 widows, we gave out cash and food stuff, however, this is the first time we are giving our members grants to empower them.”
Some of the beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the group and to God for the privilege to be picked
A caterer, Sherifat Akanmbi, who is into cooking, baking and rentals of cooking utensils, said that
“I feel so happy. I am elated because I know this money given to me today will actually boost my business.
“I call on every well-meaning Nigerian who can afford to do something similar to what AMANI did today to please try and give back to the society because the economy is not really smiling for everyone.”
A Make-up Artist, Kafayat Hassan,“I am happy to be a beneficiary because this money will go a long way in my business, so I feel happy and opportune so I advise other women to join AMANI”
A Bed sheet and Textile dealer, Hikma Olomo, said “What AMANI did for me today made me know that women can really help women.
“Look at us today. How many are we? See the way they put smile in the faces of people. What they have done for me will not only help me, it will go a long way to help my family too.
“I am also teacher but my salary hardly meets up so I ventured into business too, so I advise other teachers out there especially private teachers to venture into business for sustenance since our salaries are not enough.”
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