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By Bianca Iboma -Emefu
BATN Foundation has expanded its EMPOWER-Her Poultry Project to Anambra State, equipping 200 rural women from Okija, Ogidi, Okpoko and Akpu communities with 4,000 Noiler birds, feeds, medications, training and ongoing technical support to build sustainable poultry businesses and boost household incomes.
The initiative was officially flagged off at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, in the presence of government officials, community leaders, project partners and the beneficiaries. The Anambra rollout followed the successful implementation of the same programme in Jigawa State and marked a deliberate scaling of a model designed to turn rural women into active economic players through agriculture.
Before the formal handover, participants received practical training in poultry management, business development and enterprise sustainability across four local government areas — Ihiala, Idemili North, Ogbaru and Orumba South. The combination of productive assets and skills is intended to ensure the women can sustain and grow their enterprises beyond the initial intervention.
General Manager of BATN Foundation, Oludare Odusanya, said the expansion reflects the organisation’s confidence in women as drivers of economic growth and community development.
“When women are economically empowered, the benefits extend far beyond the individual. They strengthen households and improve livelihoods. Following the implementation of the EMPOWER-Her Poultry Project in Jigawa, we are pleased to extend this opportunity to women in Anambra State, providing them with the assets, skills and support needed to build sustainable businesses and improve their economic wellbeing.”
Odusanya stressed that the foundation’s approach goes beyond handing out birds. “Our goal is not simply to distribute birds. We want to see thriving businesses, increased incomes, stronger household resilience and women who are empowered to take advantage of opportunities within the agricultural value chain.”
Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Esther Chinyere Onyekesi, described the project as a timely intervention that will expand economic opportunities for women and strengthen household livelihoods. She thanked BATN Foundation for its continued investment in women and rural development, noting that economic empowerment of women remains critical to poverty reduction and inclusive growth in the state.
Beneficiaries called the support life-changing. They said the birds, feed, medication and training would help them improve their incomes, better support their families and play a more active role in the local economy. They also expressed gratitude to the Anambra State Government, Commissioner Onyekesi and former Commissioner Hon. Bridget Obi for their backing of women’s economic inclusion initiatives.
By moving the EMPOWER-Her model from Jigawa to Anambra, BATN Foundation is reinforcing its commitment to creating durable livelihood pathways for rural women across Nigeria. The focus remains clear: equip women with productive assets, practical knowledge and sustained support so they can build viable agribusinesses and contribute to local economic development.
