From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
A team of personnel from Nachsten Liebe Weltweit (NLW) popularly known as Love of Neighbour Worldwide, an international non-governmental organization and Ifendu for Women’s Development recently visited Aji community, Enugu-Ezike, Enugu State as part of their tour to promote and enhance literacy class, skill training and provision of micro projects in Nigeria.
The team which was led by the founder of Nachsten Liebe Weltweit, Rev. Fr. Noel O’Meara from Ireland, embarked on courtesy visit to monitor and strengthen the humanitarian projects they had built in the community.
In their company was Sister Rose Uchem, executive director of Ifendu for Women’s Development (Ifendu).
She disclosed that Ifendu which had received much supports from NLW was established to empower and promote self-reliance among women, especially the destitute ones.
“We began by first of all selecting some literate women preferably teachers who underwent some training at the Holy Rosary, Nsukka where we taught them the rudiments of what we had in stock for the women. These selected individuals now serve as facilitators that promote our ideals to the rest of the women. They now teach these women how to read and write, as well as how to own and manage fishery, piggery and poultry farms”, Sister Rose said.
The Reverend Sisiter who equally appreciated the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Simeon Osisi Itodo, for welcoming and giving the organization the necessary encouragement spoke on the general activities of the group.
“Ifendu empowerment projects for rural women (supported by NLW) were first implemented in Uhunowerre, Igboeze South LGA. These projects which are for the poor were replicated here Aji, Enugu-Ezike and had equally been extended to three communities in Orsu LGA, Imo State,” she said.
Speaking, the chief facilitator, Mrs Violet Idokoja explained how awesome the organization had been in its activities.
“The organization has been the one sponsoring everything we do. They took six of us to Nsukka and trained us at their own cost. They have equally provided us with fingerlings and three mobile fishponds that have been distributed among us at no cost of ours. They have equally promised to give us loans that will help us to establish fishery ponds, piggery and poultry farms”, Mrs. Idokoja added.
One of the beneficiaries of the literacy class programme, Mrs Angela Odo-okoro while expressing her joy disclosed that apart from training the women on skill acquisitions, they had equally been taught how to read, write and speak the English Language.
“I dropped out of school after my primary three and could not read nor write anything. But now, I’m telling you that I can read and write to some extent. I even do some home-work for my children now,” she said.