The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the Delta State Government, has empowered 1,000 women traders in Delta State with financial grants to grow and sustain their businesses.
The event, held in Asaba, is part of the nationwide women’s empowerment programme launched by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to provide grassroots economic support for women. Senator Tinubu emphasized that the support was a grant, not a loan, stressing: “When you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community, and indeed, a nation.”
She commended the Tony Elumelu Foundation for donating ₦1 billion to the initiative, which will benefit 18,500 women nationwide, with 500 beneficiaries in each state and the FCT receiving ₦50,000 each. In Delta, an additional 500 women traders were sponsored by the state government, bringing the total to 1,000.
Wife of the Delta State Governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, lauded the inclusivity of this year’s edition, noting that beneficiaries were drawn from diverse groups, including Christian and Muslim associations, wives of security personnel, journalists, and women from the Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa communities. “This inclusivity reflects the true spirit of the Renewed Hope Initiative,” she said.
Beneficiaries, who received their symbolic cheques during the ceremony, expressed gratitude, describing the grants as timely support to expand their businesses and provide for their families.
