Economic empowerment: More organisations should partner for social impact in communities – Oborevwori’s wife

When women are empowered economically, the benefits extend beyond the individual, to families, small businesses, and communities.

In this spirit, Fidelity Bank moved to partner with You Matter Charity Foundation, to empower 500 women in Delta State to build their businesses to enable them support their families and contribute to the development of their communities. The beneficiaries were more of market women.

At the empowerment exercise which took place in the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House, 400 women each had their businesses boosted with N100,000. Fifty received a grinding machine each and another 50 got a sewing machine each.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to BusinessDay said the empowerment meant a lot to them even as they urged that such gesture be sustained and extended to more women in the state.

Jessica Brown, from Aniocha North Local Government Area, who received grinding machine valued between N250,000 and N300,000, said it’s going to boost her food and foodstuff business.

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It has been my desire to buy grinding machine but finance has been the issue, she says, expressing gratitude to the bank, the foundation and the state government for helping her expand his business.

Onome Egware, a tailor believed to be in her early sixties, said the empowerment is an end to the era of “Kill and Divide”. She said that due to lack of sewing machine, she worked for people who have sewing equipment and at the end, whatever money realized was shared between her and the business-owner.

BusinessDay ‘s checked revealed that the market price of the sewing machine is between N200,000 and N250,000. Egware said, “with this machine given to me, whatever money I generate is totally for my business and through it, I support my family. I see my sewing business growing from here. I see myself being independent.”

Similarly, those who got cash said they would use it to grow their businesses and in turn help solve needs.

Tobore Oborevwori, wife of the Delta State Governor and Founder of You Matter Charity Foundation, had explained that the empowerment was from the N20 million, 50 grinding machines and 50 sewing machines donated by Fidelity Bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the host communities, tagged, “Give Her Power”.

She announced a donation of N20 million from her foundation to enable the 400 women go home with N100,000 instead of N50,000.

She said the aim was to enable them build their businesses, support their families and contribute to the development of their communities.

Oborevwori who spoke while declaring the distribution exercise open, explained that the event was not only about distribution. “It is about transformation, restoring hope, strengthening families, and building a more inclusive and prosperous society, one woman at a time.

She commended the bank for going beyond banking to touch lives in meaningful and sustainable ways, adding that the initiative clearly demonstrates that when corporate organisations align their resources with social impact, real and lasting change happens. She also called on other corporate organizations to emulate the bank.

Oborevwori recalled that over the years, the foundation has remained steadfast in its mission to move women from dependency to productivity, strengthening household incomes and giving a voice to the underserved. She described the foundation’s approach as holistic, combining economic, social, educational, and protective interventions to create sustainable change for women across our communities”.

She told the beneficiaries that whether the support was in the form of financial grants or equipment, it is a seed and urged them to use the resources wisely to expand their businesses, support their families and contribute meaningfully to their communities

Earlier in a keynote address, Pamela Shodipo, executive director (ED) South of Fidelity Bank PLC, on behalf of the Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director and chief executive officer (MD/CEO), said the donations to the foundation was made under the Fidelity Helping Hand Programme (FHHP).

“The FHHP is a CSR platform through which our staff across business locations identify projects that address real needs in their immediate communities, raise funds to support those projects, while the bank’s management matches the contribution with an equal amount to ensure stronger and more sustainable impact.

“In line with this approach, staff from Delta State branch pooled a total of N10 million for this intervention and the bank is supporting it with equal amount in line with the FHHP policy to deliver meaningful outcomes for the host community.

Alongside the donation, we are also distributing 50 sewing machines and 50 grinding machines to the women in the state under the Give Her Power Initiative, rooted in the belief that empowerment must be practical, inclusive and sustainable, she stated.

“This initiative sits within our broader women-focused proposition, known as HerFidelity, through which we support women-led businesses across key pillars that include financial support, capacity building, health and wellness, and entrepreneurship.

“Our goal is to help more women move from effort to earnings, and from hustle to sustainable enterprise, with the right tools, the right skills, and the right support systems.

She appreciated Oborevwori’s leadership and the work of the foundation for continuing to bring support and dignity to people who need it most across the state.

“Thank You for partnering with us to ensure the support reaches the right hands with transparency and purpose.

“To the women who received these machines today, this support is a vote of confidence in your ability to build a livelihood, grow a micro business, and create value within your communities.

We encourage you to put the equipment to productive use, stay committed to your craft, and keep your aspirations alive, because progress is built one step at a time,” she said.