From Godwin Agia, Jalingo
Women in Toungo LGA of Adamawa State, have
over the weekend expressed gratitude to the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation for commissioning a new Women’s Centre and providing livelihood support to 450 women in the community.
The women, who benefited from the foundation’s initiative, praised the organization for improving their lives and enabling them to access loans and expand their businesses.
A beneficiary, Grace Emmanuel, one of the beneficiaries “A lot has changed in my life with the support I got from ANI Foundation,” she said.
The women lauded the foundation’s efforts, saying their lives have not remained the same since the coming of ANI.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Florence Dauda, “We used to envy the women at the Gashaka end of the park because of the things we heard ANI was doing there. That is no longer the case as we are now involved and you can see the array of products we have on ground due to the savings and loan groups through the empowerment initiative,” she added.
The Women’s Centre, commissioned by ANI Foundation, aims to empower women and foster community development through savings and loan groups. The initiative has provided alternative livelihoods for communities surrounding the Gashaka Gumti National Park, supporting conservation efforts.
The women beneficiaries expressed their appreciation for the support, which has enabled them to take control of their lives and contribute to the economic development of their community. The ANI Foundation’s initiative has brought about positive change and development to the communities, and its impact is expected to be felt for a long time.
The foundation’s Senior Strategic Adviser, Dr. George Okeyoyin, emphasized the importance of providing alternative livelihoods for communities surrounding the national park to support conservation efforts.
The CEO of Roshan Renewables, Happy Amos, noted at the occasion that the women’s savings and loan groups have saved over N30 million in one year.
She further explained that the commissioning of the Women’s Centre and the livelihood support provided to the women are testaments to ANI Foundation’s commitment to empowering women and promoting community development.
“The initiative has made a significant impact in the lives of the women and is expected to continue to do so in the years to come.
“I want state here that women of Toungo are hopeful that the foundation’s initiative will continue to support their economic empowerment and improve their lives, With the support of ANI Foundation, they are now able to access loans and expand their businesses, improving their economic prospects,” she said.
