Empowering Communities: Spaces for Change Empowers 150 in Benue with Interest-Free Loans

By Sunday Iduh 

In a bid to strengthen community resilience and improve household stability, a non governmental organization, Spaces for Change (S4C) has launched an Economic and Agricultural Empowerment Scheme for women and smallholder farmers in Daudu (Guma LGA) and Naka (Gwer West LGA) in Benue State.

The initiative, supported by the Open Society Foundation (OSF), aims to reduce vulnerabilities that expose families to harmful survival strategies. The program is designed to improve the livelihoods of beneficiaries, who will receive interest-free loans to boost their businesses and enhance local economic security.

Addressing the beneficiaries separately at Naka on Thursday and Daudu on Friday, the Executive Director of Spaces for Change (S4C), Barrister Victoria Ibezim Ohaeri, represented by the Legal Officer of the organization, Barrister Patrick Allam, said the initiative is designed to improve their livelihoods. Barrister Ohaeri urged them to make judicious use of the interest-free loan and pay back promptly to enable more people to benefit.

The Executive Director disclosed that Coordinators will stand as guarantors to the beneficiaries as well as monitor to ensure that the monies are used judiciously, saying it is assumed that they know the beneficiaries very well.

The Vice President of Alliance Against Displacement, Janet Williams, emphasized the importance of community engagement and participation. "We don't just impose our ideas on communities. We engage with them and they tell us what they want and we do assessment to ensure that it is actually what they want," she said.

Giving an overview of the intervention, Programme Officer, S4C, Joy Anohobi, said the initiative is a public center safety program which focuses on people who are struggling economically, coupled with the security challenges in Benue State. She acknowledged that despite the fact that the country is passing through security challenges, Benue State's situation is precarious and has made the people more vulnerable compared to other set of people, hence the intervention to enable the people get back on their feet, as the loan will help them to improve their businesses.

Anohobi said beneficiaries must be people who are running one form of business, saying the organization is out to boost those businesses through the loan support. "The loan will help them improve their businesses and get back on their feet," she said.

Also speaking, Barrister Justin Gbagir, Executive Director of Justice and Right Initiative, explained that his organization enlightens people on how to fight for their rights and advocates for them in the society when their rights are infringed upon. He urged the beneficiaries not to misuse the opportunity.

The Executive Director of Next Generation Youth Initiative International stated that his organization focuses on building the capacity of communities and ensuring they work together to instill a culture of respect among youths for the overall benefit of communities, as well as building a community security network.

On his part, Emmanuel Ikule, Executive Director of Elixir Trust Foundation, said the intervention aims to help people get back on their feet. "We may not be able to give them everything, but at least they are being given a seed that will multiply and help them cope with daily challenges," he said.

"The aim is to empower them, build resilience, and help them cope with challenges despite displacement, and make them realize that there are people who care about them and feel their pain," he added.

"Beyond physical empowerment, we are here to let them know we are with them and assure them that we will always stand by them until everything normalizes," he concluded.

Other aspects of the program, according to Ikule include forming policing committees in Daudu and Naka communities in Guma and Gwer West Local Government Areas, respectively, to ensure early warnings for the protection of lives and property.

Stakeholders from the two communities declared their support for the initiative. At Naka, Ter Tyoshin, His Royal Highness Daniel Abomtse, represented by Chief Justine Jime, expressed appreciation to Spaces for Change for the intervention in his community, which he noted will improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people. He advised the organization to ensure that people who benefit from the initiative are truly vulnerable. 

While assuring the NGO of the support of Gwer West Traditional Council, Chief Abomtse urged them to use their voices to appeal to President Bola Tinubu to be decisive in addressing the security challenges confronting the state and Nigeria at large.

Also, at Daudu, the Resident Pastor, NKST Daudu Mbawa, Isherev Classis, Reverend Simon Biem, who was elated, admonished the people to repay the loan in record time so that others can benefit, calling on the beneficiaries not to misuse the money and to use it for the intended purpose. He expressed confidence in the abilities of the beneficiaries to pay back the loan and commended the organizations for bringing succour to the people.

Early feedback from beneficiaries already demonstrates a renewed sense of hope and confidence. Beneficiaries, cutting across the two local government areas, including Kon Raymond, Sunday Orseer, Joy Tyosar, Zipporah Kaseaun, Matyondo Abam, and Orgbe Nguhiden, commended Spaces for Change and partners for the life-changing opportunity, promising to make judicious use of the money

A total of one hundred and fifty (150) verified beneficiaries will receive small business and farming support ranging from fifty thousand (50,000) naira upwards to boost their livelihoods and enhance local economic security.