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. Statistics show domestic violence has increased in the wake of the hashtag#COVID19 pandemic. 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 Jacob’s Well program is providing micro-credit to female-owned small businesses. This will help women achieve financial independence and reduce poverty.
So far in 2024, 31 beneficiaries across four registered cooperatives got loans to grow their businesses. As part of our commitment to financial literacy, they were trained in risk management, savings culture, business record keeping, and cooperative management using the GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS resource manual to help sustain and grow the venture. In addition, we’ve printed and commenced distribution of 1000 copies of our Business Record Book to enhance record-keeping practices among loan collectors, ensuring efficient management of finances and resources.
A sum of 9.5 million naira was disbursed to these women with no collateral required leveraging the social trust within the cooperative mechanism to ensure compliance across the board. We are happy to report that the various businesses are thriving and the beneficiaries are doing tremendously well.
The Sister Guardian Initiative (SGI) is a South Saharan Social Development Organization‘s flagship project on reducing violence against women at the community level. The initiative provides the immediate support that female victims of violence require— safety, counseling, mediation, and referrals to other relevant agencies as the case may demand. The SGI is presently in 19 communities across Enugu and Anambra states.
International Women’s Day is a global day to celebrate women’s socioeconomic, cultural, and political achievement. It is also a unique opportunity for women to rally and advocate for equal treatment and representation. Since the inception of the SGI in 2016, SSDO has organized an educational event geared towards women’s empowerment. This year’s theme is “Inspire Inclusion” and “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”
To commemorate the IWD celebration, South Saharan Social Development Organisation organized a radio sensitization program to celebrate the wins of Sister Guardians, to share their stories, challenges, and journey since they were elected to the traditional ruling councils in their communities. As well as to create awareness on the need for this to become the norm in other communities. The guest on the show were Mrs Roseline Egwuatu from Ihenyi community in IsiUzo LGA and Mrs Anthonia Anike from Umuode community in Nkanu East LGA, who are both part of the traditional ruling councils in their communities as a result of the efforts of SSDO through the Sister Guardian Inititaive project.
The women discussed how challenging it was before SSDO came in, how they struggled to be heard, and how women didn’t have an opinion on matters that affected their wellbeing.
“Women were always subjugated and relegated to the backgrounds through bad stereotypes and cultural norms that affected them. During disagreements, men take advantage of norms to ban women out of the home for as long as they want by barricading their kitchen with palm fronds which is a taboo in my community. This was put to a stop when women became elected to the traditional ruling council.” Mrs Roseline shared.
Mrs Anthonia explained, “Before now, we could not assess our palm kernel farm or either use the proceeds, the men would always collect it from us, but through the advocacy of the Sister Guardian Initiative this has stopped.”
This year’s commemoration also served as an avenue to create more awareness on the year’s theme, on the need to increase women’s participation and diversify leadership, and rally relevant stakeholders on the need to enforce GBV laws.This was done through a community stakeholder engagement workshop held in Ezi-Nze community in Udi LGA. The workshop featured participants drawn from three communities– Ibute-Nze, Ezi-Nze, and Akpakwume community, Udi LGA Enugu State–where the initiative has been executed. They include traditional rulers, President Generals, women leaders, and community members.
Blessing Uchendu, Gender Protection Lead explained the importance and the need for increased inclusion and investment in women, particularly in the promotion of diversity in leadership and decision-making positions. “Women, especially those belonging to underrepresented groups, continue to face barriers when seeking leadership roles. By championing inclusion, organizations and communities can harness the full potential of diverse perspectives, leading to better decision-making and innovation.”
Studies have shown that increased women’s representation in leadership positions as helped to reduce marginalization and discrimination as women in power can better advocate and present the needs of other women. Understanding this fact, SSDO, has been working tirelessly to increase the number of women in the traditional ruling councils in project communities. So far, nine communities have included women in their traditional ruling councils. While not resting on our oars, the team is striving to see improved inclusion and women empowerment, hence the need for this workshop.
“Women face discrimination, harassment, inequality, and oppression. SSDO addresses all these and more through the guardians instituted in the communities. SSDO also strengthens these established institutions by building their capacity and financing them to carry out their programmatic activities. With more women in the cabinet in these communities, these incidences will be further ameliorated”
Jacob’s Well Project Officer, Stella Ani, also highlighted the importance of access to opportunities such as financial instruments as a viable way to invest in women. “We realize that marginalization and oppression lie at the heart of women’s poverty. This is why we introduced the micro-credit facility. To help women access loans, accelerate progress, and achieve financial independence.”
Having sensitized participants and stakeholders on the need for increased women’s participation and increased inclusion in decision-making processes at the community level, the team facilitated a breakout session where traditional rulers and Sister Guardians (women leaders) from the same community discussed and chose the three most pressing challenges that have plagued women the most in their communities.
Esther Ani, a participant shared, “I am excited about this workshop. The fact that we could sit with our traditional rulers and tell them our struggles and needs was important. Now we can plan and implement the solutions identified.”
These identified problems will be form the basis for intervention in the communities going forward. The women will advocate to public and private partners for speedy resolutions.
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. Statistics show domestic violence has increased in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic. 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. South Saharan Social Development Organization through its Jacob’s Well program is providing micro-credit to female-owned small businesses. This will help women achieve financial independence and reduce poverty.
In 2023, 42 beneficiaries across five registered cooperatives got loans to grow their businesses. They were trained in financial literacy, risk management, savings culture, business, and cooperative management using the GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS resource manual to help sustain and grow the venture.
A sum of 9.5 million naira was disbursed to these women with no collateral required leveraging the social trust within the cooperative mechanism to ensure compliance across the board. We are happy to report that the various businesses are thriving and the beneficiaries are doing tremendously well.
This piece delves into the poignant narrative of a community grappling with the multifaceted impact of poverty on its women. It unfolds the pressing need for empowerment, as the women yearned for opportunities that would break the shackles of financial deprivation and dismantle the barriers restricting their potential. In the face of these challenges, the community found an unexpected ally in South Saharan Social Development Organization, SSDO, an organization that became a beacon of hope, introducing the transformative Sister Guardian Initiative and Economic Empowerment. This is a tale of dreams taking flight, a community transcending adversity, and the remarkable journey toward empowerment that has forever altered the landscape of the community.
In the heart of Umuode community, Nkanu East where the echoes of hardship reverberated through every humble dwelling, the story of resilience and triumph unfolded. For the women of this close-knit community, poverty cast a long shadow, and the societal roots of gender-based discrimination deepened their struggle. As the oppressive forces of economic hardship and unequal opportunities took their toll, a collective call for change emerged from the hearts of the women in Umuode.
In the not-so-distant past, the Chizaram Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Umuode, nestled in the Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, grappled with the harsh realities of poverty. Mrs. Ani Faithful, a member of the cooperative, vividly recounts the challenging times when meager livelihoods were sustained through small businesses, mere tables, and kiosks acting as the stage for their economic pursuits.
“Many of us struggled to raise funds to grow our businesses. We knew what we wanted and where we saw ourselves but the limiting factor was money. Rather than stay idle, I started by selling provisions in a small kiosk, hoping to raise enough money to go into rice farming.”
Adding to their struggles was a deeply ingrained societal bias that denied women access to land, exacerbating the cycle of poverty and inequality.
“In our community, women are not given land to farm like the men. This was a huge challenge to my goal of becoming a rice farmer. And this worsened an already dire situation.”
Women’s Empowerment, The Way Forward
Recognizing the dire need for change, the call for women’s empowerment resonated profoundly within the cooperative. The oppressive grip of poverty, coupled with gender-based discrimination, spurred a collective desire for transformation. It was against this backdrop that SSDO, a beacon of hope for marginalized communities, stepped in with the Sister Guardian Initiative and Economic Empowerment through Jacob’s Well project.
In 2020, SSDO, through its Jacob’s Well Officer, Stella Ani, and Gender Protective Lead, Blessing Uchendu, introduced the initiatives to Chizaram Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Umuode. The initiative aimed to address both the immediate economic challenges faced by the women and the underlying societal issues perpetuating gender inequality.
Women working on their rice plantation
Advocacy for Women’s Rights
Stella Ani and Blessing Uchendu became catalysts for change, utilizing advocacy as a powerful tool to dismantle barriers. They engaged with key stakeholders, including the Igwe and his Cabinet, the President General, and other influential figures, and sought to challenge the status quo. They advocated passionately for women’s right to land and their rightful place in decision-making bodies, igniting a spark of change in the community’s consciousness.
“We understand that for any community to fully thrive, there’s must be a deliberate effort to liberate and empower the women to not just be backbenchers but active contributors to the economy. This was our focus with our initiatives,” Blessing shared.
Now the community is more inclusive and a more adequate representation of what a thriving society should be — one with ample opportunities for women.
Stella Ani paying a supervisory visit to the rice plantation
Dream Becomes Reality
Having addressed flaws in ideologies, norms, and beliefs, it was time to empower the women with capital to achieve their goals of becoming rice farmers. SSDO further supported the cooperative with over 2 million naira to help the female farmers purchase equipment, cultivate, and grow rice. SSDO’s involvement also helped the cooperative secure a partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD. This helped them secure farm inputs and cassava processing plant that has drastically improved their productivity and yield.
Woman standing next to the processing plant provided by IFAD.
Here are some of the wins of the Sister Guardian and Jacob’s Well endeavors in the community: :
Land Allocation:
The community responded to the call for equality by allocating 15 acres of land to the women, unlocking a realm of possibilities for farming and economic ventures.
Inclusion in Leadership:
The once marginalized women now hold esteemed positions, with three members of the Sister Guardian Initiative serving in the Igwe’s Cabinet and two contributing actively to the Town Union.
Respect and Recognition:
The societal shift is palpable, with women no longer relegated to the shadows; they bask in newfound respect and recognition, transforming not only their individual lives but also the community’s perception of gender roles.
Business Evolution:
Breaking free from the constraints of table and kiosk businesses, the women have evolved into successful rice farmers, marking a tangible shift from subsistence to sustainable entrepreneurship.
Business Literacy:
The initiative instilled essential business literacy skills, equipping the women with the knowledge to manage and grow their enterprises. Business record-keeping has become second nature, empowering them to make informed decisions for sustained growth.
Familial Harmony:
As the women prosper, the positive ripple effect extends to familial harmony, creating an environment conducive to personal and collective growth.
Female Farmers of Chizaram Multipurpose Cooperative during harvesting season
The Power of Social Development Initiative
The journey from adversity to achievement in Chizaram Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative and for women at large in Umuode showcases the transformative impact of strategic social development initiatives. South Saharan’s unwavering commitment to women’s empowerment has not only broken the shackles of poverty and gender-based discrimination but has also sown the seeds of lasting change within the fabric of the community. As the women stand tall, proud, and empowered, their success story resonates as a beacon of hope for other marginalized communities yearning for transformation.
The beauty of any initiative is the ability to identify new opportunities that align with its objective to increase impact opportunities. This we constantly strive to do by leveraging avenues to improve socioeconomic and human rights benefits for our project beneficiaries.
To this end, South Saharan Social Development Organization, SSDO, is expanding the Sister Guardian Initiative, SGI, to SGI-Plus. This new initiative will pursue additional rights issues affecting women at the community level, as we understand that for behavioral change to be effective it must be holistic. The Sister Guardians at the community level will identify, prioritize, and advocate to public and private partners for resolution.
While not neglecting the importance of a livelihood component from which women draw income to pursue their social transformative interventions, the SGI-Plus will introduce the Village Savings and Loans Association, VSLA, component to achieve this aim. The SGI-Plus will kickstart in nine communities in Enugu state and will scale up from there.
On the 12th of December, SSDO organized a workshop to unveil and introduce SGI-Plus to the Sister Guardian executives and communities. The workshop was an avenue for the SGI executives to give a progress report. They were tasked to identify three most pressing problems in their communities that will be tackled going forward. This participatory measure will guarantee a human rights-based approach and form the crux of issues that will be addressed.
