From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Not less than 240 persons from the various communities from Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area were beneficiaries of the first phase of Project Mount Initiative of the Ike Odoeme Humanitarian Foundation aimed at reducing rural poverty through empowering the less privileged of the society.
This is as the foundation is also sponsoring an apprenticeship and skills acquisitions program for women and youths.
Speaking to the beneficiaries via zoom from his base in United States at the unveiling of the Project Mount held on Friday at St Cyprian Anglican Church, Umuhi , the Founder/Chief Executive, Ike Odoeme Humanitarian Foundation, Mr Ikenna Odoeme: “We are here today to unveil the Project Mount which is aimed at the reduction of extreme poverty amongst our women and youths in this community and to help our people to earn a decent living. How to help our people is the major fulcrum of this initiative. Today, we are giving 200 women the sum of N100,000 each to support their petty trading. Also, 40 of our youths will receive N500,000 each to support their businesses especially those who are into farmig.
He added: “We have also provided interest-free loans for small and medium scales businesses to help them access finances to grow their businesses because we know how difficult it is for our people to access bank loans as many could not meet with the loan conditions. And that is why we are partnering with the Zenith Bank in this regard and we will monitor the repayment which is going to be gradual.”
Odoeme disclosed that the initiative also includes skills acquisition training and Apprenticeship programme, which empowers youths and women opportunity to earn respectable living.
He said further: “We have apprenticeship and skills acquisition programme as part of the Project Mount, which we are going to fund. We want to reintroduce the concept of apprenticeship amongst our women and youths regardless of whether they are graduates or not. Once they identify any business/skills of their choice, the foundation will sponsor their training and at the end of their apprenticeship or skill acquisition, the foundation will also provide the necessary finance for the beneficiaries to start up their own businesses. This is just the first phase of this project and in the next three months we are going to hold another one. Our aim is to help our youths and women to get out of poverty. So, please help me by using this opportunity judiciously.”
In her remarks, Director of the Foundation, Dr Marie Sylva, said that the Ike Odoeme Foundation is purely humanitarian and has nothing to do with politics.
“This foundation started in 2023 and ever since then we have been empowering the women and youths. What we have done today is the first phase of the empowerment programme and in the next three months we will give another set of persons N500,000 each. So, we are going to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure that they use the money for the purposes the funds were given because that is the only way they can get further assistance. We want the beneficiaries to help themselves by using the money judiciously. We have also told them to form co-operative groups, especially for those who are into farming so that money will be given via the co-operative for the members.”
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to Sunday Sun expressed their gratitude and prayed for their benefactor and his family.
Mrs Chidi Ikemena, a widow who was overjoyed said: “I am grateful to Ikenna and his family for building a house for me. I am a widow and when he learnt that my mud house collapsed he directed that a new two bedroom apartment should constructed for me which was completed last year. He also gave me 100,000 to support my petty trade.”
Similarly, Eddy Chisom, a rice farmer who received N500,000 said: “ I am from Onicha Uboma from Ihitte Uboma and received N500,000 to assist in my rice farming and I am very grateful to the Ike Odoeme Foundation and this money will greatly assist me produce more rice. Since 2023 Ike Odoeme Foundation has been helping the poor people in Ihitte Uboma. He built a house for a disabled man and his family from Onicha Uboma last year and we pray that God will continue to bless him with good health and long life for assisting the poor people in this Ihitte Uboma.”
Also, Madam Ngozi Enwerem disclosed the foundation bought her a grinding machine and also gave her N100,000 as start up capital.