EMPOWERING SOME INDIGENT PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS

EMPOWERING SOME INDIGENT PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS 

In 2023/24, I had the privilege of serving as the District Governor of Rotary International District 9142. Rotary District 9142 covers all the states in the South East, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. Our Theme for that Rotary Year was, “Create Hope in the World”.

As Rotarians and Rotary Leaders, we ensured that we Created Hope in our Homes, Clubs, Communities and within People around us. As Rotarians, we are still Creating Hope after our Service Year.

At the end of our Service Year, we had our 1st Re-Union in Owerri last year July and it was very memorable.

Over the weekend, we had our 2nd Re-Union at Enugu and it was very exceptional. In commemoration of that event , we raised monies and supported ten (10) persons to expand their businesses.

Each of the Ten Persons; Nine Women and a Man, received the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira ( #100,000.00) each and a promise of additional Fifty Thousand Naira ( #50,000.00) each by next month.

Incidentally, these beneficiaries are into Akara selling, Sachet Water retail, Okpa sales, Groundnuts and Banana sales and POS services. So you can imagine the boost this support will bring to their businesses.

Of particular concern is the lady, who is into POS; she lost her husband sometime in March of last year and three months after that, she delivered a set of twins. You can imagine how she is coping with the kids . Indeed, each of these persons had a story to tell about life and how fate had treated them!

But truly as a Team, we Created Hope in their lives and many of them openly cried in appreciation of what we did as a Team for them.

I must specially thank our Leaders – Past District Governors Joshua Hassan, Lizzy Ogugua, Emma Ude Akpe, Sam Uko and Sagab Ahmed for honouring our invitation to be there. I will also express my appreciation to PDG Victor Onukwugha, who was billed to be there but got his flight into Enugu cancelled.

I am also very grateful to the Deputy Majority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly – Hon. Jude Akpua, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture & Agro Industrialization in Enugu State – Hon. Patrick Ubru Ph.D who are also our Team Members for you support for the event.

Let me also appreciate the presence of Sir Onyi Wammah – the Immediate Past Head of Service in Abia State, His Lordship – Justice Bassey Ekanem, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey – the CMD of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Dr Kelechi Eboh – Lead Strategist & Communication: Nigeria Police Pension and our District Rotaract Representative then – PDR Okechukwu.

And to all our Team Members and the Host Organising Committee, I am indeed very grateful to everyone of you. You made it happen. Your donations and support made a huge difference for that event. Thank you so much.

We look forward to the 3rd Edition holding in Akwa Ibom next year July and until then, please keep Serving without counting the cost, Create Hope that will have a Lasting Impact in the lives of People.

I celebrate all of us.