INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PEACE 20 SEPTEMBER 2005

Theme: Small Business For Peace
When: September 20, 2005 - December 2007
Where: Lagos and Imo State

The public airing of this intervention in the sustainable development of our society, takes off on September 20, 2005 at St. Agnes Conference Hall, Maryland by 10am to mark the international day for peace

This initiative is a democratic/poverty alleviation process for problem- solving designed by Women Commission / Outreach office of African Youths for Transparency (AYFT), with technical support from, the United Nations Information Center Lagos, and initial focus on women.

We are engaging women community based SHG groups though small business and cottage industry to maintain a culture of peace. Create a platform for the target groups to overcome their insufficient skills in information, management and marketing skills. Use democratic process to advocate and achieve social, political and economic empowerment and development. And create future employers of labour, as a way of achieving economic independence, security and relatively peaceful, conflict free and sustainable developed society.

The highlight of this initiative will involve the public airing of the project, organizing workshops, and real intervention in identified areas, as well as mobilizing and collaborating with private sector, government and individual support, for this poverty alleviation initiative as our effort in facilitating government efforts in poverty alleviation.

Success Story

SBP has funded 10 women successfully .You can also help SBP continue this work when you make a donation, every credit is regularly monitored and financial report put together. Your generosity could help save the lives of many.

 

Meet some of the beneficiaries

My name is Mrs. Beatrice Michael from Abia State. I live with my six children and husband in Ojota, Lagos. My husband lost his job, so I went to a friend to borrow #3,000 to start up a vegetable business but was turned down. The coordinator of AYFT SBP was just there on overhearing our discussion asked what I needed the money for and offered to help, Through SBP, I now have my own small vegetable and petty business at the night market. This is sustaining my family although we still do not make enough for extras because it’s the only source of our livelihood.
I get the vegetables from the village farmers and my daughter and son helps me in the business. Now I can afford the little money my younger children in primary school need for their education and hope my business will grow more so I can get enough money for their secondary education.

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I am Mrs. Eunice Chukwu from Enugu State. I live with my husband and four children in Lagos. My husband is a plumber but does not make enough money to sustain the family, so I started looking for other mean I could raise money to help in the upkeep of my family.
SBP provided me with #10,000 which I used to start up a small business of roasted yam and plantain. Now all our four kids are back in school and I can buy more yams and my customers are increasing by day.

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I am Mrs. B. Okweso from Ogun State I live with my husband and three kids. My husband is a taxi driver. His earnings give us enough to feed without extras. I used to have a shop at Maroko before it was demolished by the government and we had to relocate so without our daily earning during our relocation we what little money we had for business, but SBP gave me #10,000 which I used to start up a small business of tomatoes, pepper and onions and now I can buy fruits too to supply to my former customers. Our standard of living has improved with my extra earnings.