Yemisi Izuora
Dangote Foundation, Project Director, Zakari Momodu has disclosed plans to disburse a total sum of N10 billion to support one million poorest women this year as part of effort towards ameliorating widespread poverty in Nigeria
He said the foundation has budgeted N10 billion as a grant for one million Nigerian poorest women , with a target of a minimum of 1,000 women in each of 774 local government areas in the country.
This he said is exclusive of payment for mobile phones, ATM cards, payment for monitoring evaluation process.
“The fund disbursement is meant to enable recipients to meet immediate family and livelihood needs by providing a one-time grant to start up enterprises that will boost their economic and consumption activities and help reduce their vulnerability”, he said.
According to Momodu, , the Foundation in response to the widespread poverty in Nigeria, in 2011, instituted a cash transfer intervention – the Dangote Micro-grants Programme- to provide cash transfers to select poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
On how women are selected, Momodu said since the foundation is based in Lagos, its relies on state governments to identify the poorest people in the state after which the foundation carries out its own verification.
President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has endowed its 24 year-old Foundation with $1.2 billion.
Founded in 1994, the foundation supports initiatives in a variety of areas, including education, health, and youth empowerment.
Speaking in a Lagos during the unveiling of the new Logo and identity at the weekend, Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou said with the $1.2 billion lifeline, the foundation has adopted a new identity and logo to heralding a more global focus, Afrocentric institution.
Under the new look, Dandote Foundation, according to her, will be 70 per cent focus on Nigeria, 20 per cent Africa and 10 per cent focus of the world.