Women Empowerment Project

In September 2013 – 2014, we received funding support from Nka Uforo Iban Akwa Ibom State USA Inc. to implement an empowerment project for ultra-poor market women in the Akpan Andem entrepreneurial market, Uyo, and Abak main market. The project’s active implementation began with advocacy to relevant stakeholders, community mobilization and sensitization, identification and selection of beneficiaries, capacity building in Basic Business Practices, seed grants disbursement, supporting the market association to achieve minimum operating standards, monitoring, and reporting on the project. At the end of the project, 51 women received funding. Beneficiaries such as Eno Tom and Madam Eno Efanga, who previously depended on others for credit to buy and sell periwinkle, could now purchase periwinkle in bags from the source. They cleared their debts and expanded their product offerings. The Market Women Association now has a well-documented list of members by group, holds regular executive and general meetings with minutes, and can monitor projects executed to benefit their members.