An Abuja based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Ambassador Queen Worlu Foundation, with technical support from Helpline Foundation for the Needy, has empowered 30 vulnerable women, mostly widows, in rural communities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The women, drawn from two clusters in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils, benefited from the maiden revolving loan scheme of the Foundation launched weekend in Abuja.
Presenting the cash to the beneficiaries, the Founder, Ambassador Queen Worlu Foundation, Mr. Sam Worlu, said the scheme was to immortalise the spirit of giving to the vulnerable of the in the late ambassador and minister of the gospel.
Sam appealed to beneficiaries not to channel the loan towards merry-making ventures, stressing that the loan was for empowerment of women in rural communities.
“This event is the official launch of our maiden edition of Ambassador Queen Worlu Foundation revolving loan scheme for rural women with technical support from Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja.
“Basically, this scheme is to immortalise my late wife, who was a career diplomat and served this great country as an Ambassador in Sao Tome and Principe. She was also a minister of the gospel who loved giving out to the poor.
“However, before now, the Foundation had embarked on schemes aimed at assisting the poor in the society. We have assisted a number of students in the FCT School for the Blind, and paid hospital bills for patients in Asokoro General Hospital among others.
“It might interest you to know that just last year we came in contact with Helpline Foundation revolving loan scheme and how it has helped rural women to grow small businesses. We decided to key into the scheme with the aim of expanding the scope. Today, 30 vulnerable women drawn from two existing clusters in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils received the sum of N20,000 each to grow their small businesses.”
Earlier, the Chief Operating Officer of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Mrs. Funmi Ajare, commended Ambassador Queen Worlu Foundation for identifying with the scheme and called on the beneficiaries to judiciously use the loan.
Speaking further on the modalities of the revolving loan Ajare said; “beneficiaries are not expected to pay back the loan to the foundation, but they are expected to return a little percentage at the end of every month to their team leader who will in turn empower another woman in that same cluster.”
She revealed that since the launch of the revolving loan scheme by Helpline Foundationk five years ago, over 1000 rural women have benefited from the scheme, stressing that the foundation has extended the scheme to neighbouring states of Kogi and Nasarawa.
The team leaders of the clusters, Mrs. Terdoo Ubah, and Khadijat Usman, respectively commended the Foundation for the gesture.
