The Chairman of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote, has initiated a micro-grant scheme to empower and lift 23,990 poor and vulnerable women out of poverty across the 23 local government areas in Sokoto State.
A statement on Wednesday said the empowerment programme in Sokoto was part of a N10bn scheme to assist 774,000 women (1,000 women from each of the 774 local government areas) across the country.
Already, the foundation said the sum of N3.35bn has been disbursed by the foundation to 334,500 women in Kano, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Lagos, Niger and Nasarawa states.
According to the statement, Dangote was accompanied by the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, (represented by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera); and executive management of the Dangote Group, top dignitaries and traditional rulers in the state at the event.
Dangote said, “In Sokoto, we are empowering 23,990 women, including those in the IDP camps in Rabah LGA. 1,000 vulnerable women were selected in each of your 23 LGAs. However, due to the displacement of the community in Rabah, we have also included all eligible women in the IDP camp, totalling 1,990 women for the Rabah LGA.”
He also said a partnership had been established with Access Bank to open bank accounts for all the beneficiaries and issued them with customised debit cards that would be loaded with N10,000.
Tambuwal expressed appreciation to Dangote for his long-standing support and collaboration in the areas of Zakat, economic empowerment and the fight against polio.
He also applauded the decision by Dangote to increase the support to the Zakat Commission.
