5,000 Women To Get $300,000 Grant From Coca-Cola Foundation
Over 5,000 women-run small businesses in Lagos are to benefit from a $300,000 grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation.
The initiative by The Coca-Cola Foundation is in conjunction with Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation as part of its women empowerment program tagged, ‘Catalyst for Change 2.0.’
Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a focus on empowering women and girls, especially those living in rural communities with no access to opportunities. Bukola Bamiduro, Founder/Program Director, Karis & Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, emphasised the importance of the ‘Catalyst For Change 2.0’ project, stating its role in ensuring the empowerment of underserved women and youth in Nigeria.
We are proud to continue this impactful program and make a meaningful contribution to the lives of more women and girls in the country. We extend our gratitude to The Coca-Cola Foundation who has remained steadfast in its commitment to this project,” she said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Ekuma Eze, Director, Public Affairs and Communications, Nigerian Bottling Company, represented by Jerome Oyebanji, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company, said the partnership with Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation is aimed at poverty alleviation and women and youth empowerment remain key priorities for the Coca-Cola System in Nigeria.
“The Catalyst for Change programme was developed to ensure that these key areas are addressed in the communities we call home and we are truly proud of the results achieved so far.”
As part of plans for a successful edition, Catalyst for Change 2.0 will extend to women and youth in communities across Surulere, Alausa/Agidingbi, Ijora, Agege and Onigbongbo in Lagos state for 10 months starting later in October. The programme, aimed at reducing the harsh economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeks to reduce the migration of rural women to urban areas by empowering them with business and life skills that will elevate them from extreme poverty and encourage their migration back to their local communities.
During the inaugural program in 2020 themed “Catalyst for Change”, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, successfully equipped 5,000 women and girls across five communities (Sangotedo, Oworonshoki, Ogijo, Iwaya and Magboro communities) with transformative vocational skills while 1,000 beneficiaries were presented with business start-up kits to kickstart their businesses and earn a living.
The success stories and testimonials recorded during the recently completed monitoring and evaluation exercise indicated a highly successful campaign, which contributed to the funding of the second edition of the program by The Coca-Cola Foundation through a grant of $300,000 to empower yet another set of 5,000 women across five communities in Lagos State.
Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/5000-women-to-get-300000-grant-from-coca-cola-foundation/
