From Ahmad Ibrahim, Gusau
In a bid to drive financial inclusion and economic development, the Aziza Development Foundation is collaborating with Zamfara State Investment and Property Development Company Limited (ZSIPDCL) to reach women in underserved communities across the state.
The statewide initiative kicked off with a launch at Gusau Local Government Area, where the Managing Director of ZSIPDCL, Hajiya Mariam Yaro, encouraged women to utilize the program to gain a better understanding of financial products and simple business management skills.
The program, dubbed “LightHer,” aims to provide financial and business literacy training, as well as access to digital financial services to women across the state.
Our correspondent gathered that so far, the program has reached 1,300 women and girls, with high participation from small farmholders and retail traders in local communities.
According to Funmi Okubanjo, founder of Aziza Development Foundation, the program seeks to drive access to useful financial products, including bank accounts and affordable capital for qualified participants.
‘We’re committed to empowering women with the skills and resources they need to grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods. The LightHer program will further strengthen the local communities and better position women to contribute to the development of Zamfara state,” she said.
The program also introduced female micro-entrepreneurs to new business lines and simple record-keeping methods, irrespective of literacy levels. Participants have expressed appreciation for the program, citing the opportunity to engage with local trainers beyond the training sessions.
The majority of participants have identified access to affordable capital as a key challenge, one this program aims to address through partnerships with local financial institutions.
This initiative marks a significant step towards addressing some of the fundamental literacy gaps that have helped local communities and women back in Zamfara, and it can also become one of the several ways partnerships can drive economic growth, especially in rural communities across the country.
