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Rotary Club empowers police officers’ wives in Lagos with loans, business skills

Rotary Club empowers police officers' wives in Lagos with loans, business skills

Rotary Club empowers police officers' wives in Lagos with loans, business skills

 

Last Saturday was a day of joy for police officers’ wives in Folomo Barracks, Lagos, as the Rotary Club of Folomo empowered them with skills in various trades to make them entrepreneurs.

Aside from the skill acquisition, 10 women benefitted from an N500,000 loan, with each getting N50,000 to start a business.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Elizabeth Gwalkywa, who was visibly elated, said she was happy not only for herself but also for some of her neighbours, who were full-time housewives but would become self-employed as they have been taught how to be useful in their homes by learning small trades through the skills acquisition programme and got loans to start any business of their interest.

Rotary Club empowers police officers' wives in Lagos with loans, business skills

Madam Gwalkywa said, “My joy knows no bounds today, as we are blessed by the Rotary Club of Folomo, whose members taught us small-scale businesses that we can use to assist our husbands. For me, I am a businesswoman who deals in food items, but some of my neighbours, who did not know what to do have learned something new to assist their husbands. For instance, one of us who got the loan has been taught how to fry groundnut and where to get the bags of raw groundnut. She will be starting up the business by next week, while another will be starting liquid soup making. These are items we buy outside the barracks, but if we have people making them inside the barracks, at least, we shall be buying from them, and then they will be able to assist their husbands.

“As for me, I am well established, but if I add N50,000 to my business, it will add more money and more profits to it. For instance, I sell tomatoes, but I don’t buy enough. So, I go to the market every three days. But with the loan, I will be going to tomatoes market once a week and it will save me the inconveniences of leaving other markets for tomatoes market, and the risk of going to market, and the cost of transportation. Don’t say that the money is too small; I know that when we are able to pay back the loan in six months’ time, the benefactor may increase the loan to N100,000.”

The welfare officer of the barracks, Mrs. Folashade Bello, said she was happy with the succour given to the women by the Rotary Club of Folomo. She said, “The N500,000 was shared as a loan to 10 beneficiaries, meaning that each person got N50,000. People may think that money is too small, but some people are going to be counting their own money in a’ few months’ time and begin to assist their families. Our husbands’ salaries are too small. So, it is not easy for an average policeman to save and give his wife money to set up a business. Some of us had existing businesses but one way or the other, misfortune came and we spent the money for our businesses to solve the imminent problems and we have been idle waiting for capital. Today, I have seen two of such persons benefitting from the loan and I know, by next week, they will be very busy. As a welfare officer, my team and I will be monitoring the beneficiaries to make sure that they utilize the loan and are able to pay it back on the stipulated time. I want to sincerely thank Rotary Club for its good gestures and services to humanity. We appreciate you, but, like Oliver Twist, we ask for more money and that you extend your assistance to more beneficiaries.”

Earlier, image-maker of Rotary Club, Folomo, Mr. Ibrahim Sule, warned against using the money to cook soups or for other things contrary to the purpose that the money was meant for, “They should know that the loan is tied to Nigeria Police Microfinance Bank, where their husbands who are policemen receive their monthly salaries. After six months and the loan is not paid, the money will be deducted from their husband’s salaries, which is not good. They should be able to assist their husbands. Anyway, our president, Ijeoma Onyeador, has preached to them a lot and a word is enough for the wise.”

President, Rotary Club of Folomo, Ijeoma Onyeador, said the club renders services to humanity and, by so doing, it decided to extend the same services to Folomo Police Barracks, “Where we have trained some women with skill acquisition, how to do some-scale businesses that would uplift their families.”

She said, “The major programme is the microfinance long-term N500,000 loan we are giving them. The loan has been given to 10 beneficiaries, each receiving N50,000, to start small businesses. Although some of them have existing businesses, they can add the loan to expand their businesses. Really, we have empowered the women to improve the lives of their families.

“We are going to monitor the beneficiaries to make sure that they utilize the loan very well. That is why we gave them the loan through Nigeria Police Microfinance Bank, where their husbands receive their salaries. The bank knows how to manage such loans. We are also partnering with market leaders and barracks leaders, who will monitor the beneficiaries. We have no fear that they will not pay back the loan.

“A lot can be achieved with N50,000. We did a business surveys and assessments in the barracks and we also did other evaluations to know the area we would train them. We trained them in liquid soap making and other things. Some of them will now deal in groceries, groundnut, water, and other things. We are going to give more loans once they are able to pay back the one given to them.”

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