Joan Agha Foundation empowers women, youths with technology, grants

Ohamara Obiageri:

Joan Agha Foundation (JAF) has restated commitment to empower women with cheap and affordable technologies for small scale entrepreneurship with ultimate aim of industrializing the nation.

This was the revelation at Joan Agha Foundation 6^th Annual Lecture for Women Entrepreneurs themed ‘Women Entrepreneurs: Catalyst for Development’ which was held at Oriental Hotel in Lagos recently.

Joan Agha, the Founder and President the Foundation who stated that the motive behind the Foundation was to impact lives especially women and the youyh, added that the foundation has granted scholarships to 39 brilliant indigent students from primary to tertiary institutions, having also empowered 64 women with loans without interests.

“Three years ago we gave out grants of N100,000 each to four youth entrepreneurs, last year we gave a million and this year we have done N1.1million,” Agha disclose.

Agha relying on National Bureau of Statistics, said Nigerian women constitute 70% of the informal economy, and one-third of Nigeria’s formal small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). She added that despite the influx of women entrepreneurs, not much has been recorded due to limited access to finance, markets and entrepreneurial skills.

She said the essence of the annual lecture was to continually create a platform and unique opportunity for women entrepreneurs, to ensure that they are equipped to conceptualize, initial and operate successful enterprises which will develop into future big businesses.

Professor Gloria Elemo, Director General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) who was the keynote Speaker stated that the challenge for the women was on how to start their own businesses.

While decrying the issue of recession and unemployment, Elemo said women have the key to industrialization of the nation, adding that FIIRO on their part have introduced simple technologies that have very high potentials of growth which will help to economically empower the women and families. “Women you know actually serve as stronghold and background of any family structure, so they need to be empowered, they need to be informed."

Speaking on how women could solve the problem of funding their businesses Elemo said, “There are many programs of Government that can give you quick access to funds. You have the bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, special program by CBN, Microfinance Houses, so when you come, our success is that you are able to establish, so we try as much as possible to link you to the relevant institutions,” Elemo said.

Among other speakers at the event were Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni, Director General, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACIMA); Mrs Ojini Olaghere, Managing Consultant, Rickela Consulting Limited, Guest Speaker; and Peter Bankole, Pioneer the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan-Atlantic University, Guest Speaker.