South Saharan Social Development Organization in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria conducted an in-program evaluation of the hygiene behavior change campaign to assess the progress, challenges, and outcomes of the campaign among community members in Mboshi-Aji community, Igbo-Eze LGA.
This helped the team to identify key knowledge gaps and understand how targeted hygiene behaviors have been adopted and sustained within the community. As well as to identify key barriers in areas where the hygiene behaviors have not been adopted.
SSDO’s WASH Program Officer, Obianuju Ezeike PMD and Programs Assistant, Hannah Okugo, facilitated the process alongside other stakeholders. This documentation process and evaluation will help provide recommendations and guarantee the project’s sustainability.
We understand that poverty lies at the heart of unreported cases of Gender-based violence (GBV). Most women are often afraid they will lose their economic support if they report. Women have a huge role to play in nation-building. Gender inequality, unpaid care, and a largely unskilled women’s group are some issues to name a few that hold them back.
Women’s empowerment is one of the practical solutions to reducing the cases of violence against women. Understanding this, South Saharan Social Development Organization, through its Sister Guardian Initiative is empowering women in Ibute-Nze community by establishing a Village Savings and Loans Association.
VSLA is a self-select savings group that uses members savings to lend to each other so they can grow their businesses. VSLAs offer a community-based financial platform that empowers women to invest in sustainable businesses. Through these community-driven financial solutions, women can secure the necessary funds to grow their enterprise.
The VSLA in Ibute-Nze has been successfully set up and women trained in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The group has selected its executives and is fully operational. The group will be monitored to proffer technical assistance and guarantee the sustainability and effectiveness of the VSLA operations.
We understand that poverty lies at the heart of unreported cases of Gender-based violence (GBV). Most women are often afraid they will lose their economic support if they report. Women have a huge role to play in nation-building. Gender inequality, unpaid care, and a largely unskilled women’s group are some issues to name a few that hold them back.
Women’s empowerment is one of the practical solutions to reducing the cases of violence against women. Understanding this, South Saharan Social Development Organization, through its Sister Guardian Initiative is empowering women in Awha-Ndi Agu community by establishing a Village Savings and Loans Association.
VSLA is a self-select savings group that uses members savings to lend to each other so they can grow their businesses. VSLAs offer a community-based financial platform that empowers women to invest in sustainable businesses. Through these community-driven financial solutions, women can secure the necessary funds to grow their enterprise.
The VSLA in Awha-Ndi Agu has been successfully set up and women trained in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The group has selected its executives and is fully operational. The group will be monitored to proffer technical assistance and guarantee the sustainability and effectiveness of the VSLA operations.
South Saharan Social Development Organization participated in a stakeholder meeting and sensitization visit organized by The Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development Enugu for Enugu West Senatorial District to deliberate on and map out ways to eliminate Gender Base Violence, Child Abuse and Trafficking and Promotion of Child Education in Enugu State.
SSDO’s Executive Director, Dr. Stanley Ilechukwu, at the stakeholder meeting highlighted the need to engage the local government more on policy reform and formulation as they’re the closest governing body to the people. He emphasized the need to domesticate gender policies by tailoring them for better applicability to suit the needs of rural communities.
The sensitization visit to Udi LGA was an opportunity to build the capacity of the community on rape, child defilement, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and how to report cases of abuse. SSDO’s Gender Programme Lead, Blessing Uchendu, facilitated a session to educate the community on Female Genital Mutilation, its effects, how to report it, and the need for it to be clamped out in its totality.
Other stakeholders present at the stakeholder meeting include civil society organizations and security agencies.
Research shows that agriculture contributes about 25 percent to Nigeria’s GDP and employs nearly 70 percent of the country’s population. However, farmers still struggle with low productivity, the adverse effects of climate change, and limited financial access for smallholder farmers. This isn’t any different in Enugu state as farmers are plagued by limited resources and access to financial services, making it even more challenging for farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices.
Understanding this need, South Saharan Social Development Organization in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria through the Strategic Partnership Agreement II program will establish a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA ) in its three project communities: Umuogili, Oduma Achara, and Ihenyi to help with the financial constraint.
VSLA is a self-select savings group that uses members savings to lend to each other so they can grow their businesses. VSLAs offer a community-based financial platform that empowers farmers to invest in sustainable agricultural practices.
Through these community-driven financial solutions, farmers can secure the necessary funds to implement sustainable farming techniques, thereby contributing to the resilience and prosperity of agricultural communities in the region.
The third VSLA in Oduma Achara has been successfully set up and farmers trained in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The group has selected its executives and is fully operational. The group will be monitored to proffer technical assistance and guarantee the sustainability and effectiveness of the VSLA operations.
