GIANT STRIDES IN GRASSROOTS AND RURAL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Since Nigeria as a nation assumed self-governance after obtaining independence from its colonial masters several efforts have been made by its government to reach the citizens at the grassroots levels. A major effort in this direction is the creation of the third tier of governing system, namely, the local government, designed to bring governance and its dividends closer to the grassroots. Besides this there have being other federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that were created and designed to make government closer and accessible to rural people.
Government initiatives and other pet projects by the nation’s past first ladies and states governors’ wives have also been floated to bring about poverty alleviation through skills empowerment for self-employment. Many of these initiatives have farm inputs and funding facilities available to farmers and as well, made agro-processing equipment available to rural farmers at subsidized rate. However, many of these efforts, as noble as they were, have been plagued with numerous challenges such as inability of the agencies to reach many of the remote communities, communication gaps between the government agencies and the grassroots people, problems of illitracy as well as corruption in the system. As a result and with the prevalent economic situations, the grassroots people are denied of so many assistance they should have received for their socioeconomic well being.
However, DPat Foundation, as a grassroots-based non-governmental organisation that has witnessed these challenges repeatedly, has since its inception remained on course in the discharge of its duties with a resolve to bridge these gaps as a conscientious not-for-profit organization. It has consistently reached out to rural women, empowered them with relevant trade skills, organized and linked them with government agencies that have made financing facilities available to them to carry on the trades they were trained on by the foundation. DPat Foundation has a union of multipurpose co-operatives which is the umbrella of all the numerous co-operatives that have been formed by the organization in the quest to cater to the financial empowerment needs of the women and youths it trains
Thus in several rural communities today, especially around the FCT and particularly within Gwagwalada Area Council, the presence of the foundation is readily felt among the people. Most of these are women and youths who have received grants, loan facilities and farm inputs via the efforts of DPat Foundation. Exhibitions have also been organized severally with guests from the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), the Bank of Industry (BOI), Bank of Agric.(BOA), Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), Ministry of Woman Affairs, Agricultural Development Project (ADP) to mention a few, in attendance. These exhibition were to showcase the works of the women and youths trained by the foundation.
DPat Foundation is also visibly and actively involved in academic empowerment for children. Through its scholarship scheme called PROJECT60. The Foundation is currently sponsoring over sixty children from primary through secondary school. This project is meant to help reduce the menace of out of school children within the FCT, begining from the Gwagwalada Area Council. Although, the foundation on its own cannot single-handedly curb the menace of out of school children, it hopes to contribute its own quotas to the solution.
The founder/president of DPat Foundation, Elder Mrs. Patience Ardey (JP) is passionate about this project just like she is about the others. The foundation, however, is in dire need of partners and donors to help push this scheme forward because sponsoring these children has being a herculean task for the foundation. The joy of knowing that crime is being curtailed and the future of these children is being secured via this effort is the major driving force behind the scheme. We invite good hearted Nigerians to join forces with us through financial donations and other forms of partnership to make this project a resounding success.
Children in communities of Gwagwalada Area Council have been focused on at this early stage of the scheme, in subsequent school sessions, we hope to extend the scope to other parts of the FCT, north central and the nation at large. Please, join us.
PROJECT60 (the scholarship scheme) is not the only area for which partners and donors are needed by the foundation. Other areas like women, girl-child and youths empowerment are equally crucial areas that need the collaborations of individuals, organizations, institutions and even international bodies to carry on.
