146 vulnerable households benefit from Edo-Cares grants

No fewer than 146 Poor and vulnerable households comprising 69 per cent of women on Friday benefitted from the Nigeria Coronavirus (COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES) code named EDO-CARES, grants in Edo.

The approved amount for the beneficiaries ranges from N20,000 to N200,000 to be paid into their verified bank accounts.

Mrs Ifueko Alufohai, the Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, said during the grants presentation ceremony in Benin that the programme was designed to cushion the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on livelihoods in the state.

Alufohai, who was represented by Mr. Johnson Adebayo, a director in the ministry, urged the beneficiaries to make proper use of the grants to create wealth for themselves.

The Head of, the Edo State Cash Transfer Unit, Flora Bossey, said that the beneficiaries were selected from the state social register of the poor and vulnerable in Ikpoba-Okha and Oredo Local Government Areas of the state.

Bossey noted that after selection, the office verified that the persons were residents at the addresses provided in the social register and whether their businesses aligned with eligible trade areas.

“About 292 potential beneficiaries were selected from the state social register of the poor and vulnerable in Ikpoba-Okha and Oredo local government areas. Thereafter, our team went to the field to verify that these persons existed, if they were at their stated addresses and if their businesses aligned with eligible trade areas.

“After the verification exercise, only 179 beneficiaries were successfully verified. Then the verified beneficiaries were trained on soft skills and livelihood modules such as bookkeeping and communication. Other areas are how to start and grow a business and self-awareness among others”, she said…

According to her, “The beneficiaries attended training for a minimum of three times and then completed the business plan on their area of need to support their businesses. After the entire process, only 146 beneficiaries comprising 69 per cent of women qualified to receive the grants,” she said.

Mrs Esther Iyamu, a beneficiary, thanked the state government for the kind gesture with a promise to channel the grant to make a profit from her business.

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