Women self empowerment

This Niger Delta intiative brings women together to champion women's rights within their communities, and to give members assistance with their livlihoods. The women also endeavour to harmonise community relations in general.

Description

The organisation was founded in 2004 and through it the members have been able to approach the community leaders about problems such as the mourning period for widows, female circumcision and the active inclusion of women in decision-making processes, all of which would not have been possible if done individually.

The women are investing (and encouraging their husbands to do the same) more into the education of their children, thereby reducing the level of idle uneducated youths and  - by extension - conflicts in the communities.

Aims / Objectives

These rural women aim to transform their livelihoods as well as their families' and the communities in which they live. They seek to do this by engaging in income-generating ventures, peer encouragement, providing advice to youths, and advocating the fair treatment of women.

How it is Articulated

The group creates a pool of savings, which it is then free to use. The group structure also means that individuals are able to encourage their peers, firstly during meetings, then - as the group bond grows - outside the scheduled meeting times. The group also engages in advocacy over issues which affect its members and attempts to engage with and enlighten young people.

When the association first started, not many women thought they could achieve much of what they tagged ‘their lofty ideas’ but they began to notice that their activities were being scrutinised from a distance. This gave them the determination to forge on with their plans and to schedule visits to the elders in order to make the elders intimately aware of the association's aims and goals.

To the suprise of most of the women - who did not think they would even be granted an audience - the elders and chiefs, after detailed questioning of the women on how they would manage the responsibilities they were taking on alongside those they already had at home, gave their blessing to the association and agreed to support its efforts.

Within a month of that meeting, and following successful association meetings, peer encouragement and support activities, and an invitation to attend a women's rights programme in Port-Harcourt, their membership rose to sixteen. The association's members have now become the people women in their communities come to for advice on questions concerning livelihoods.

Achievements / Learning Points

Since the inception of the organization there has been:

• Improvement in wealth creation for members through saving and investment in trading and farming activities.
• A reduction in harmful practices like female circumcision.
• A reduction in conflict between the communities’ youths.
• Improved relationships between women, youths, and community leaders.

Learning Points:

They would like to advise other organizations not to concern themselves too much over how many members they have, but rather to focus on achieving their goals. The association started with only about six Ubio women as members but currently enjoys membership from other communities/LGAs within the Ahoada area and it is their belief this growth has happened because these other women saw how much the original members’ confidence had grown in taking on their life challenges.

They regret that they did not consider documenting their activities over the years, as they have now realized that people always want evidence of efforts people claim to have made. If they did have a record of these previous activities they would be able to show off their achievements proudly.

Geographical Area of Operation

Ahoada East/West LGA, Rivers State, Nigeria

Funding Resources

Individual contributions.