Empowerment: Dangote Foundation Doles Out N340m To Katsina Women

By Bimbo Ogunnaike

The Aliko Dangote Foundation has begun the disbursement of N340 million empowerment grants to 34,000 women in Katsina State.

The Chairman of the foundation, Aliko Dangote, said on Thursday while flagging-off the scheme in Batagarawa, that 1,000 vulnerable women were selected from each of the 34 local government areas of the state.

Dangote said that the programme was aimed at complementing the state government’s efforts in the area of economic empowerment and poverty reduction among women.

According to him, each of the beneficiaries would receive a N10,000 cash grant to support the economic activities of their household.

The multi-billionaire, noted that the foundation had disbursed more than N300 million to 106,000 beneficiaries during the last Ramadan season in some parts of the country, added that the grants were extended to indigent people in Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara States to alleviate their hardship.

“We are here to flag off the second part of the intervention, and we will empower 34,000 women in Katsina state.

“In each of the 34 local government areas, we will select 1,000 vulnerable women who will go home with N10,000 each and the total amount we are giving out will be N340 million in the state”, he said.

Dangote said the micro-grant is one of the company’s empowerment policy, and so far, 360,000 women, representing over 46 per cent of the target beneficiaries, have benefited nationwide since the inception of the programme.

“Other states where people have benefited from this grant are; Kano, Jigawa, Lagos, Nasarawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Niger states”, he said.

He disclosed that the foundation will extend the grant to people in Kebbi, Zamfara, Edo and Osun states in the next few weeks.

In his remarks, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State commended Dangote foundation for the gesture and urged other wealthy individuals in the country to help in reducing the level of poverty among Nigerians.

Masari also urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money as the grant is capable of changing their lives.