Fidelity Bank Plc has partnered with the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA) the pet project of Patience Umo Eno, the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to empower 300 women entrepreneurs across the state.
In celebration of the 2024 International Women’s Day, Fidelity Bank Plc partnered with the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), a non-governmental organization founded by the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Patience Umo Eno to empower 300 female entrepreneurs across the state with ₦25 million worth of business support and equipment.
The empowerment program, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, targeted micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) run by women across the 31 local government areas of the state. The initiative is aimed at strengthening grassroots businesses, fostering economic self-reliance, and driving sustainable community development.
To support individual business needs, the joint intervention provided tailored equipment and start-up tools across various trade sectors.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State and Founder of GIFA, Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, commended Fidelity Bank for its corporate social responsibility commitment and support toward female economic advancement.
She noted that empowering women economically directly translates to improved family welfare, better child education and reduced poverty across local communities. Mrs. Eno urged the recipients to maximize the equipment and manage their businesses prudently.
Representing Fidelity Bank, the Divisional Head of Brand and Communications emphasized that the partnership aligns with the bank’s dedicated strategy to support female-led enterprises and small business growth.
The bank noted that its platform such as its HerFidelity initiative is built to address financial exclusion by providing women entrepreneurs with accessible resources, business capacity building and digital financial management tools.
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To ensure long-term viability, the program incorporated financial literacy training for all 300 beneficiaries. Advisers educated the entrepreneurs on basic bookkeeping, inventory management, savings habits and adopting digital banking solutions to seamlessly transition into the formal financial sector.
Organizers confirmed that GIFA and Fidelity Bank will maintain a joint post-empowerment monitoring team to track the progress of the businesses, evaluate performance metrics, and offer ongoing mentorship to help the entrepreneurs expand their market reach.
