On the 25th and 26th of October 2022, CSAAE organized a capacity-building program for members of its Young Mompreneurs Initiative (YOMI) in Ebonyi State. The program focused on training in poultry technical skills and business management as well as business linkages, mainstreaming, and access to finance.
On poultry technical skills, a poultry service provider trained the women on housing, stocking, litter management, biosecurity, vaccination, flock health, environment, farm management, and flock performance. He also linked the women to input, off-takers, and finance.
On business management skills, a business development service provider trained the women in marketing, pricing, costing, savings, and investments. He also exposed them to the requirements for loan application and the conditions to access it.
Following the two-day capacity building, the Center engaged the services of the poultry service provider to mentor and handhold select women poultry farmers for three months as the women start setting up their poultry farms.
One of the persons that helped organize this program is Rev. Fr. John Okeke, the parish priest of St. Vincent the Paul Parish, Okwese, Nkaliki. He expressed gratitude to the management of CSAAE for this initiative, stating that the program equips women to do things for themselves and for the society.
Another person that helped organize the program is the Ebonyi state coordinator of YOMI, Mrs. Chime Nwachukwu. She thanked God for the founder of the program, Rev. Fr. Dr. Godswill Agbagwa, and prayed for God’s blessings upon him. She said that “the women are very happy for being part of this program.” She emphasized on the need for the women to know that the grants to be given to them are not for their personal use rather it’s for them to start up their poultry farming. She said that YOMI has come to stay in Ebonyi state and will continue to empower women. She encouraged those that may not get the grant today to wait for another opportunity.
Three women were selected for grants: Mrs. Nwankwegu Callista, Mrs. Egwu Elizabeth and Mrs. Nwancho Ukamaka. Mrs. Nwankwegu expressed her profound gratitude to the organizers of the program and for finding her worthy to be one of those selected. She said that the money will go a long way in her poultry farming and that she will utilize this opportunity given to her.
Mrs. Egwu Elizabeth expressed her joy for the great opportunity given to her, saying that it will help her to build her farm and also to empower other women around her. On her part, Mrs. Ukamaka Nwancho thanked the founder and coordinators of the program saying that the grant will help her build her poultry farm to her standard.
Launched in 2018, YOMI has been of great benefits to women in different parts of the country including Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Rivers States. YOMI has empowered women in these states through small grants, business management trainings, technical trainings, mainstreaming and business branding. Earlier this year, YOMI trained the women in exportation in partnership with the Nigerian export promotion council.
Indeed, YOMI is a program every young woman should join to be empowered and skillfully equipped to become independent. To become a member of YOMI, one must be a woman married or not, must be young, must have minimum educational qualification of secondary school certificate, must own a business or would like to start one.
