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By Amechi Ogbonna
Originally born Miss Kezia Nelly Amas in the ancient Kingdom of Benin City in Nigeria, Mrs Nelly Windham, an American entrepreneur and philanthropist now caters for the less privileged in both the United States of America and Nigeria.
After leaving the shores of Nigeria at age 17, she made a commitment to herself never to fail in life considering the high level of poverty she had seen in various societies where she lived growing up.
Today, after nearly three decades sojourn in the US, Windham has carved a niche for herself as a successful entrepreneur, mentor, caregiver and philanthropist.
At the launch of her pet project CNBA Initiative in Lagos recent, Windham said she was motivated to devote her personal resources for the empowerment of the poor in Nigeria because she saw very high level of poverty on the streets of Nigeria and was moved to help.
She spoke to Daily Sun in Lagos.
Excerpts
My motivation for bringing CNBA Initiative in Nigeria
I left the shores of Nigeria at a very young age, specifically at 17.
I came back like 28 years later and found out that the country has changed with a lot of people needing help, and suffering.
My heart was broken and so I had an opportunity in the U.S to help people through my business and influence.
“My determination and drive was to be successful in life because I didn’t want to be poor. That determination drove me to want to know more about things and that has led me to where I am today.”
However, I also decided that it will be a good idea and the plan was to do the non-profit in the U.S which made me set up a CNBA facility to help the needy and the poor in U.S. Of course you know that the U.S helps their own people
And so when I came here to Nigeria, that became a quest and I understood that it was God who led me to do it here and I thought about it and forgot about it for another ten years. But I never stopped renewing the NGO license that I had in the U.S.
One day, I had a vision from a lady who came to U.S and who made me a Christ follower, prophesying into my life that the Lord wanted to use me for something and I needed to do that thing and I had not done it. She asked me why I have not done what the lord has put in my heart to do. So I replied by saying that I realised that Nigeria has a bigger issue much more I can handle. So, I thought about it, dreamt about it and the Lord showed me more of what He wanted me to do.
One interesting thing was that the more I put myself to doing it, the more He energised me to do it and so that was the reason I came to Nigeria to do empowerment programme for the poor.
How would you drive this project since you reside in the US?
“The biggest issue we had is the mismanagement of Nigerian government. People pay taxes in this country but it is not being used properly for the masses, rather, it is being used for individuals.
At this very beginning, I would start the funding the project myself. The plan is to take as many as I can which is 12 persons a year. I would teach them and empower them financially to become their own bosses. At the end of the day, if i keep doing twelve a year, in 2 years I would have established 24 people to become independent income earners who would no longer be seen loitering around the streets.
It keeps multiplying and those 24 that I have already helped in 2 years can assist me by helping others. That is the reason I want to train them myself because I want to train individuals with good heart. If you have a good heart, you can help somebody else.”
Equipment and facilities for training beneficiaries Yes these would come 100 percent from me. I have already bought the building and furnished it. The beds are already in place. The first set of trainees would start in April 2023. There is a website for it. I would do the selection process myself alongside board members because I do not want any corruption in this aspect of the project. We would reach out to them and give them necessary instructions supervised by our managers.
For a period of 90 days which the training would last, they would need to be out of their comfort zone. It is not the first time we are doing such assignments because I have empowered several entrepreneurs in the US who are very successful today. I have always followed through to make sure that what I have set up with them stands.”
Equiping trainees startup kits
“Yes, CNBA Initiative would support and manage them for 2 year and this is where the work of my manager comes in. She would regularly keep in touch with them to ensure they are provided with everything they need to remain successful. The first 12 trainees would be a surprise to Nigerians and maybe then, everyone would be rushing into it. Then we could also get financial support from politicians to empower more people.”
“We started in 2012 by feeding over 3000 homeless people a year. The people I train cook and deliver food packs to them we haven been doing that on our own for years without the support of anyone or government. I can also assure you that as long as God gives me strength, I would continue to feed and help the poor. We launched two buildings together, which is a 46-unit apartment built here in Lagos,. This is to sustain the CNBA Initiative. A lot of the finances would come from there.
CNBA project in 5 years time
“I see it bigger than what I can handle and that I would need more help.”
Gender and demography of selection process
“It is absolutely going to be a mixture because we do not know who we are picking. We are not interested in your background. Once they fill out the application, we would see the condition of what you are going through to make a selection. “
Funding for this project and template for public -private sector collaboration “So far, it has been over a N100 million spent. As regards collaboration, We have not really done anything with anybody. It has been a vision that we took on our own. We have not really asked for collaboration because we feel many people who can help are more interested in living exotic lifestyles.
I feel very pained when I see people suffering. On my way from the airport one day, I saw a hungry young girl sleeping alone under a bridge. We later helped her with food and dropped her off at a police station. At the end of the day, who is going to take care of children like her? I am sure many parents abandon their children because they cannot afford to take care of them. We would help one family at a time, eventually, and with God’s grace, we would have a good Nigeria.”
Project expansion planfrom Lagos to other states
“I would love to expand it. But right now, I am picking from every state, bringing them to Lagos where we have facility to teach them and follow through with them when they get back to their place. We would keep doing it until I can find someone that I have trained that would do the same and extend the help to rebuild in that city.”
Is US government or Private sector assisting you. How do you intend to tap into their resources?
“I think so, but right now, I want to first of all do the first stage before seeking financial aid from the US government. I do not want them to see the project as something that is not viable or lacking credibility. When the project is stable enough and have recorded substantial level of success, we can begin to involve governments and private sector.”
How would you feel if you experience a sabotage
“I have not prepared my mind for that kind of experience yet, but I do know that human beings are tricky. This is one reason why I want to do the selection process by myself to see if I can curb it to a certain level. If I experience such, then the board would sit and re-strategise.”
Will your training be limited to a particular Skill?
“No, the training is not limited.”
We have a wide range of crafts and skill that we intebnd to impart our beneficiaries
Tackling corruption in Nigeria’s environment
Yes, already, there is a lot of discouragement. that is because before I started this project years ago, I had so many discouragements. But I know there is a living God that keeps me going. I rely on the strength God has given me. I stand firm in what I want to do and what I believe in, I push forward for it regardless of how much it hurts.”
