A total of 197, 349 women have so far benefited from the various empowerment schemes in form of loans to the tune of N9.1 billion powered by a Bauchi based NGO, Development Exchange Center (DEC) within this year, 2019.
Executive Director of DEC, Mrs Titi Yakubu who disclosed this during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NGO in Bauchi over the weekend, said that the total value of loans disbursed in the year under review stood at N9.1 Billion.
Titi Yakubu said that “I am pleased to inform you that when compared with the number of beneficiaries for 2018, about fifteen thousand seven hundred and eight more women have benefited from our loan schemes in 2019”.
While expressing delight over the rate of loan recovery which she put at 99.7%, Titi Yakubu also revealed that DEC currently operates in 22-States including the nineteen northern States as well as Enugu, Cross Rivers States and the FCT Abuja.
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Titi Yakubu listed programmes managed by DEC to include functional adult education; vocational skills development; livelihood and resilience; sexual and reproductive health education; water, sanitation and sustainable environment; democracy and good governance as well as microfinance.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Board of Directors of DEC, Mr. Andrew Gwaivangmin described the NGO as a key stakeholder in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and suggested that for sustainability to be achieved, more women should register so that the organization could rely less on donor funds.
Andrew Gwaivangmin appealed to men to be active members of DEC by supporting their women in their various business activities saying, “women need the support of men to excel in their endeavour and their success will positively impact in the lives of the entire family”.
Highlights of the AGM was award of excellence to three women; Hadiza Abdullahi of Birnin Kebbi branch, Esther Gabriel of Zuru branch and Sarah Nwegbu of Mubi branch whose performances were described as outstanding by DEC women groups micro-credit manager, Helen Abah.
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