Only rural (or semi-urban) dwellers from the stated local government areas are allowed to participate in this project.
What is the Name of the Project?
The name of the Project is Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP)
What is the purpose of the Project?
NFWP was created to help support improved livelihoods for women.
In which areas will the project operate?
The initial phase of the project will operate in Ogun, Edo, Abia, Niger, Taraba and Kebbi states.
What are the requirements for joining the Project?
Participation in the project requires that a woman is engaged in subsistence level economic activities within the participating LGAs.
What is the duration of the Project?
The duration of this initial phase of the project is five years.
Who are the women to benefit from the Project?
All economically active women aged 18 can benefit.
In particular, women who are currently active in subsistence level economic activities such as small scale trading and farming will benefit from the livelihood training, which is designed to help improve and scale their businesses.
How can the targeted women benefit from the Project?
The targeted women benefit from the project by joining a Women Affinity Group (WAG) free of charge. Once they become members of WAGs, there are numerous training modules designed to help them improve their financial literacy, knowledge about budgeting and saving as well as opportunities internally mobilize resources among themselves.
What are Women Affinity Groups (WAGS)?
A WAG is the acronym for Women Affinity Groups – groups formed by women and run by women (with 15 – 25 members each) to collaborate on social and economic projects that benefit all of its members.
Why is WAG required?
WAGs are required because they have been identified as a solid community based structure and a gathering point for sharing of information amongst women from the same region.
Why does this project depend on these WAGS?
Women’s groups have proven to be an essential part of the success of other programs designed to strengthen and empower communities. These group dynamics have encouraged women to save as a group, make the right investment decision and share knowledge on a regular basis.
What does the Project tend to do for Women?
The project was created to empower women with the training and information they need to increase business earnings, build confidence and their ability to make a greater contribution to household decision making and the growth of the community in which they live.
Is support going to individual women or groups?
Support will be given to women both individually and as part of the Women Affinity groups.
Where there are no women groups how do you reach the women?
Where no women’s groups already exist, WAGs will be formed in the region and women will be encouraged to join both as leaders and members.
The Government comes and promises, why should we believe this one?
There are checks and balances in place to monitor the progress of the project, and as this is the pilot six states, there are plans to further expand the project nationwide; so all parties are heavily invested in ensuring the success. The public is kept regularly informed about the project via the official website, which details all activities including videos and photographs.
What role will the LGAs and the states play in the Project?
What is the role of community and religious leaders in the Project?
Can an indigene (resident in an urban area) benefit from the Project?
Will there be a fee to join the project?
There is no fee required for participation.
What livelihood training will be provided to the participants?
Training will cover a number of topics related to entrepreneurship and agriculture skills, market responsive technical skills, business & financial planning and life/psycho-social skills.
Enterprise skills will include market assessment, operating and managing an IGA (incoming generating activity), profitability & capital requirements and IGA financing.
Financial education/literacy skills will include savings, budgeting, debt management, financial services and financial negotiation.
Life skills will include communication, relationship building, negotiation, decision-making and purposeful living.
Will communication only be in English?
Training within this project and all communications and toolkits will be available in Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Pidgin as well as English, thereby making it accessible to as many women as possible.
Will the Project make special efforts to include excluded populations such as the disabled populations, widows’ e.t.c?
NFWP is a very inclusive project and will actively encourage all minority groups to participate.
How will the Project engage men?
Men are NFWP partners and will be involved at every step of the project – they will be kept informed and consulted about project contents and encouraged to support their spouses to join the WAGs.