Post by Trade facilitator on Dec 1, 2012 8:07:11 GMT 1
THE main hall of the Centre for Women Development, Agege, Lagos, was filled to capacity with enthusiastic women entrepreneurs from over 25 states of the federation. They were gathered for the first national conference of the African Women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP), with the theme “Dynamics of Food Export Potential for the Nigerian Women.”
As Nigeria evinces the greatest economy in Africa, women have been discovered to be the greatest entrepreneurs both in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Unfortunately, due to so many factors, majority have continued to thrive as low scale entrepreneurs. The African Women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) has been at the forefront of galvanizing the women entrepreneurs to break through the glass ceiling in this male controlled sector.
A Hillary Clinton initiative from the office of the President of the United States of America, AWEP was launched in July 2010 at the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum in Zambia. The launch was informed by the discovery that the biggest and the most untapped resources in Africa and the world are women. Over 50% of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from women.
With a national president and six zonal vice presidents to capture the geographical, linguistic and other peculiarities of the Nigerian people, AWEP Nigeria chapter is set to cover the grassroots effectively and help women to take their pride of place. In line with the objectives of AWEP, it has continued as an outreach, education and engagement initiative that works with the Nigerian women entrepreneurs to promote business growth, increase trade in Nigeria, regionally and to the US markets through AGOA and to empower women entrepreneurs to become voices of change in their communities.
The conference, which was held in recognition of the numerous challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, which was an attempt to help them expand their economic frontiers, saw a huge turnout of women.
The national President of AWEP, Mrs. Yemisi Iranloye, said of the programme thus: “The purpose of the program is to enlighten women entrepreneurs, provide linkage for women to know where to go to get assistance and be able to move their businesses to the next level, expand their economic frontiers and probably export and earn more money. The plan is basically to identify every woman that is an entrepreneur, empower them, help them to grow and pull other women up so the pyramid can become bigger and bigger, and women can take their central place and have a strong voice when it comes to economic and other decisions in this country.”
Also at the conference was the Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia, where AWEP was born in 2010, Chief Mrs Folake Marcus-Bello. An AWEP board member who also represented the chairman of AWEP, Hajia Memuna Ali, Chief Marcus-Bello delivered a speech she titled ‘The uncertainty of Nigeria and you must never give up.’ She charged the women never to give up in the face of the numerous challenges facing the Nigerian women entrepreneurs.
Sharing her experiences, she advised them to always package themselves properly, seek knowledge, remain in contact, be ambitious and have a voice. She stressed on the need for them not to forget to drag another woman up when they stand on their feet.
The two-day conference, which was declared open by the Director of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Mrs Gloria Elemo, saw a good number of representatives from agencies and parastatals of government, such as SMEDAN, Bank of Industry, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, NAFDAC, AGOA, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria Shippers Council (NPC) among others.
The DG while disclosing that FIIRO is training over 100 northern women in Kunu Zadi production and packaging, observed that Nigeria is blessed with human capacity, which they are not tapping and praised AWEP for their vision.
“Nigeria is blessed with human capacity, Nigeria is not using it but that is what AWEP is tapping today.” She commended AWEP for being a driver in the positive change to improve the lot of the African woman and advised them to explore the opportunities presented by AWEP and continues to network in order to succeed in their businesses.
While the DG of SMEDAN who was represented by Mr Okpara assured that SMEDAN will continue to help AWEP within the confines of her mandate. He asked AWEP to emulate the Self Employed Women Association (SEWA) of India, which has over one million members, have their own bank and support their members.
Meanwhile Mrs Ogochukwu Ifeoma, representative of the Bank of Industry intimated the women of fund available for women entrepreneurs alone at a very minimal interest rate; her counterpart from NAFDAC, Mrs Silvia Ajoku acquainted them with all their services, which are aimed at encouraging local manufacturing and exportation.
The national PRO, Hon. Mrs Toru Ofili, the vice presidents and executives who were in high spirits spoke of the progresses they have made, especially in their various zones and expressed optimism in the fact that AWEP is poised to further empower and help the Nigerian entrepreneurs.
Source:
www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106294:awep-empowers-women-entrepreneurs-to-export-&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558
As Nigeria evinces the greatest economy in Africa, women have been discovered to be the greatest entrepreneurs both in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Unfortunately, due to so many factors, majority have continued to thrive as low scale entrepreneurs. The African Women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) has been at the forefront of galvanizing the women entrepreneurs to break through the glass ceiling in this male controlled sector.
A Hillary Clinton initiative from the office of the President of the United States of America, AWEP was launched in July 2010 at the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum in Zambia. The launch was informed by the discovery that the biggest and the most untapped resources in Africa and the world are women. Over 50% of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from women.
With a national president and six zonal vice presidents to capture the geographical, linguistic and other peculiarities of the Nigerian people, AWEP Nigeria chapter is set to cover the grassroots effectively and help women to take their pride of place. In line with the objectives of AWEP, it has continued as an outreach, education and engagement initiative that works with the Nigerian women entrepreneurs to promote business growth, increase trade in Nigeria, regionally and to the US markets through AGOA and to empower women entrepreneurs to become voices of change in their communities.
The conference, which was held in recognition of the numerous challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, which was an attempt to help them expand their economic frontiers, saw a huge turnout of women.
The national President of AWEP, Mrs. Yemisi Iranloye, said of the programme thus: “The purpose of the program is to enlighten women entrepreneurs, provide linkage for women to know where to go to get assistance and be able to move their businesses to the next level, expand their economic frontiers and probably export and earn more money. The plan is basically to identify every woman that is an entrepreneur, empower them, help them to grow and pull other women up so the pyramid can become bigger and bigger, and women can take their central place and have a strong voice when it comes to economic and other decisions in this country.”
Also at the conference was the Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia, where AWEP was born in 2010, Chief Mrs Folake Marcus-Bello. An AWEP board member who also represented the chairman of AWEP, Hajia Memuna Ali, Chief Marcus-Bello delivered a speech she titled ‘The uncertainty of Nigeria and you must never give up.’ She charged the women never to give up in the face of the numerous challenges facing the Nigerian women entrepreneurs.
Sharing her experiences, she advised them to always package themselves properly, seek knowledge, remain in contact, be ambitious and have a voice. She stressed on the need for them not to forget to drag another woman up when they stand on their feet.
The two-day conference, which was declared open by the Director of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Mrs Gloria Elemo, saw a good number of representatives from agencies and parastatals of government, such as SMEDAN, Bank of Industry, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, NAFDAC, AGOA, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria Shippers Council (NPC) among others.
The DG while disclosing that FIIRO is training over 100 northern women in Kunu Zadi production and packaging, observed that Nigeria is blessed with human capacity, which they are not tapping and praised AWEP for their vision.
“Nigeria is blessed with human capacity, Nigeria is not using it but that is what AWEP is tapping today.” She commended AWEP for being a driver in the positive change to improve the lot of the African woman and advised them to explore the opportunities presented by AWEP and continues to network in order to succeed in their businesses.
While the DG of SMEDAN who was represented by Mr Okpara assured that SMEDAN will continue to help AWEP within the confines of her mandate. He asked AWEP to emulate the Self Employed Women Association (SEWA) of India, which has over one million members, have their own bank and support their members.
Meanwhile Mrs Ogochukwu Ifeoma, representative of the Bank of Industry intimated the women of fund available for women entrepreneurs alone at a very minimal interest rate; her counterpart from NAFDAC, Mrs Silvia Ajoku acquainted them with all their services, which are aimed at encouraging local manufacturing and exportation.
The national PRO, Hon. Mrs Toru Ofili, the vice presidents and executives who were in high spirits spoke of the progresses they have made, especially in their various zones and expressed optimism in the fact that AWEP is poised to further empower and help the Nigerian entrepreneurs.
Source:
www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106294:awep-empowers-women-entrepreneurs-to-export-&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558
