Women have long at the grappled with the toll of economic hardship. A Rivers community shows how grassroots action can spark resilience, equality and lasting growth.
More than 108 rural female entrepreneurs recently received business support worth more than ₦12 million in Isiama, a village in Andoni local government area in Rivers State.
For most, the funds were a lifeline, ensuring that they can upscale their petty businesses and expand their incomes.
A homegrown solution
Nigeria’s economic downturn has taken a severe toll on rural households, with many women forced to shoulder the responsibility of sustaining families through informal trade.
A World Bank survey reports that 75.5% of rural Nigerians now live in poverty, far above urban rates. Limited access to credit compounds the woes for women.
The Isiama fund is driven by the community members. Funds are channelled into microenterprise support after beneficiaries submit business proposals.
At its core, the project illustrates the power of grassroots action in tackling some of the critical gaps in women’s economic empowerment.
By focusing on women entrepreneurs at the grassroots, the initiative is not just easing immediate financial burdens but also laying the foundation for equality and community resilience.
The support is structured as a phased programme, and the funds are distributed according to the size of each business.
Annual performance reviews would also be conducted, creating accountability and opening up follow-up support for those who put their funds to good use.
The organisers said they hoped this would build a culture of sustainability rather than dependency.
New trend of empowering women
Isiama’s programme is not an isolated case. Across Nigeria, other initiatives are beginning to bridge the financial gap for women in un-developed communities.
In Kaduna State, women’s cooperatives joined forces to pool resources to provide low-cost loans to market vendors. This was similar to a recent Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative in Chikun and Kajuru, where four multipurpose cooperatives were granted ₦10.3 million at zero interest to help women start or grow businesses.
Also in Ogun state, the government disbursed over N536million as revolving grants to support women-owned businesses in the state.
What is notable in Isiama’s model is the emphasis on accountability and ownership at the community level. Unlike donor-initiated projects that disappear after external funding dries up, this project was started by members of the community themselves, signalling a shift toward homegrown development solutions.
While finances are important, organisers stressed that it would also be a question of how effectively the money will be spent.
Recipients were cautioned against unnecessary competition but adopting consistency and reinvestment instead.
Community men were also encouraged to provide their wives with a boost in setting up businesses, a reminder that women empowerment also calls for a shift in domestic and cultural dynamics.
A path to self-reliance
For the women of Isiama, the ₦12 million grant is a recognition of their position as pace-setters of advancement and stewards of family wellbeing
For the community, it’s a demonstration of self-reliance, showing that solutions to long-standing economic hardship do not always need to come from outside but can be built from within.
If the beneficiaries are able to revive their businesses, Isiama can not only ease poverty back home but serve as a model for other rural towns across Nigeria as they try to turn adversity into opportunity.
Summary not available at this time.
