Sunlight, a household product producer, has said it is working to empower 500,000 women entrepreneurs in Africa, particularly in Nigeria by supporting women-owned businesses through the Shakti Programme.
The initiative unveiled at a media workshop in Lagos targets women entrepreneurs in rural areas whereby the company provides products to be resold to households in their various communities.
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The Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Unilever West Africa, Soromidayo George, said “The goal of the Sunlight Shakti programme is to help African women achieve financial security and move from low-income to middle-income thereby bolstering their independence.”
She said the firm will empower the 500,000 women in Africa by 2025 and Nigeria will play a big role in achieving this.
“We do not focus on women alone. However, we focus on those who we consider more vulnerable which are women and children.
“Our focus is how we can get more women who when they are empowered, impact more in their homes. We believe that if we empower more women, it will have that ripple effect on children and the society at large.” Soromidayo said.
Category Manager, Homecare, Oladapo Oshuntoye, disclosed that thousands of rural women have been empowered in Nigeria since the launch of the Shakti program in 2004, adding that from 2016 till date, 5,500 women have been empowered and provided seed capital in form of products, business training and funding thereby improving the livelihood ls of rural areas.
From Abdullateef Aliyu and Yvonne Ugwuezuoha, Lagos
