Grooming Center’s Stories of Impact: Real Women, Real Lives

Manny Ita

The numerology number 30 represents highly creative and social energies. It is an effective communicator and resonates with optimism, creative expression and encourages them in others.

Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre, an NGO offering microfinance assistance to Nigerian women, recently featured the lives of 30 women transformed by its business of giving microcredit to women at surprisingly low interest rates, in a 132-page photo book titled, Stories of Impact – Real Women, Real Lives, Real Impact.

Admittedly, while it would be difficult  to tell all their stories in one swoop, Whether the decision by the NGO to feature just 30 women, who, on their own are visionaries chasing dreams, building businesses, and changing lives, out of the over 700,000 impacted by its loans is by design or default, it sublimely infers the  30 ‘numerologic’.

Beyond that however, these stories of impact, which essentially highlight 30 women, many of them widows, who surmounted personal and business challenges to record great successes in their personal lives and businesses, speak in the clearest terms the vision of the NGO to promote financial inclusion among women in the lowest rung of the income bracket, and the truth that it is walking its talk.

The daunting odds that stood against these women and their determination in forging on to breakeven and profiteering is both insightful and inspiring, underpinning the resilience and industriousness of women as factors that hold great potential in economic growth if adequately exploited. And why not?

The book demonstrates strongly also the impact of micro-finance in realising and fulfilling potential. It is instructive to note that most of the women who had been struggling to run their businesses, some for up to 40 years and over or unable to start one are today employers of labor, adding immense value to their families, society and socio-economic development of the country.

Reflecting the challenges faced by women and the depth of poverty in the Nigerian society, the stories in the book highlight the resilience and industriousness of women, their great potential in economic development and points to a strong recipe to driving stability in homes, stem societal vices, especially among youths and effectively check domestic violence- usually an outfall of financial constraints.

Worthy of commendation is the deliberate effort of the GC towards holistic development of women and its community, not just stopping at granting loans but also going the wider hog of providing healthcare and educational opportunities for its members, with astounding testimonies following.

Elizabeth Ezuma, Fashion Designer/Omuma, Abia State

“I grew up in Uturu, here in Abia, and I attended sec ondary school here. After secondary school, I got married and moved to Kaduna with my husband but we had to leave Kaduna in 2001 because of the Kaduna Riots. Our lives were in danger, so we moved here. Since then, I have been doing business. It was a second chance for me. I started this business with N1,000. I was selling bread, going from door to door. Today, by the special grace of God, I have my own shop. I’ve had this shop since 2003 and since then I’ve been selling bread and also doing the fashion business. I am satisfied with what I have, and when I see people wearing clothes I made, I feel so excited and happy.”

 Augustina Njoku, Decorator, Caterer/Nkpor, Anambra State.

 “For the past 10 years, I have been making bridal accessories and decorating weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. I learnt for three years at Awka Road, and then I rented a shop and started my own decoration business. In the beginning, I did not borrow any money to start the business; I used what I had to start small. In 2014, I was approached by some people who told me that Grooming Centre gives loans, so I joined them and started by taking a loan of N40,000. Since then, our group has grown to about 30 women. I really appreciate the Centre because their loans have helped me to do more business.”

Scholastica Ugwuanyi, chemist/Karu, Abuja

 “I went to School of Health and also studied chemistry. When I came out and had no job, I opened this shop. I chose to empower myself. My work in this community is to give primary healthcare. People often come to me first and I give them the drugs I can based on their symptoms. When I see people that I’ve helped passing by, because I’ve been in this community for 17 years, I feel very happy and I thank God for using me as an instrument to help them come out of their sickness.”

Throughout the course of the photo book, it is obvious that women are good or perhaps better managers of funds and not easily distracted from their business focus, almost all of them engaged in two, three or more other successful businesses. Suffice to say the human angle slant of the story deservedly appraises GC for its compassionate approach to soft loans for SMEs and the ripple effects of success story of the company can only portend good for many generations.” Recommended to everyone, especially aspiring SMEs entrepreneurs, the book is a small business masterpiece with stories that touch the heart. Stories of Impact – Real Women, Real Lives, Real Impact, is scheduled for launch in Lagos April 28, 2022.

Grooming Center’s Stories of Impact: Real Women, Real Lives

Manny Ita

The numerology number 30 represents highly creative and social energies. It is an effective communicator and resonates with optimism, creative expression and encourages them in others.

Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre, an NGO offering microfinance assistance to Nigerian women, recently featured the lives of 30 women transformed by its business of giving microcredit to women at surprisingly low interest rates, in a 132-page photo book titled, Stories of Impact – Real Women, Real Lives, Real Impact.

Admittedly, while it would be difficult  to tell all their stories in one swoop, Whether the decision by the NGO to feature just 30 women, who, on their own are visionaries chasing dreams, building businesses, and changing lives, out of the over 700,000 impacted by its loans is by design or default, it sublimely infers the  30 ‘numerologic’.

Beyond that however, these stories of impact, which essentially highlight 30 women, many of them widows, who surmounted personal and business challenges to record great successes in their personal lives and businesses, speak in the clearest terms the vision of the NGO to promote financial inclusion among women in the lowest rung of the income bracket, and the truth that it is walking its talk.

The daunting odds that stood against these women and their determination in forging on to breakeven and profiteering is both insightful and inspiring, underpinning the resilience and industriousness of women as factors that hold great potential in economic growth if adequately exploited. And why not?

The book demonstrates strongly also the impact of micro-finance in realising and fulfilling potential. It is instructive to note that most of the women who had been struggling to run their businesses, some for up to 40 years and over or unable to start one are today employers of labor, adding immense value to their families, society and socio-economic development of the country.

Reflecting the challenges faced by women and the depth of poverty in the Nigerian society, the stories in the book highlight the resilience and industriousness of women, their great potential in economic development and points to a strong recipe to driving stability in homes, stem societal vices, especially among youths and effectively check domestic violence- usually an outfall of financial constraints.

Worthy of commendation is the deliberate effort of the GC towards holistic development of women and its community, not just stopping at granting loans but also going the wider hog of providing healthcare and educational opportunities for its members, with astounding testimonies following.

Elizabeth Ezuma, Fashion Designer/Omuma, Abia State

“I grew up in Uturu, here in Abia, and I attended sec ondary school here. After secondary school, I got married and moved to Kaduna with my husband but we had to leave Kaduna in 2001 because of the Kaduna Riots. Our lives were in danger, so we moved here. Since then, I have been doing business. It was a second chance for me. I started this business with N1,000. I was selling bread, going from door to door. Today, by the special grace of God, I have my own shop. I’ve had this shop since 2003 and since then I’ve been selling bread and also doing the fashion business. I am satisfied with what I have, and when I see people wearing clothes I made, I feel so excited and happy.”

 Augustina Njoku, Decorator, Caterer/Nkpor, Anambra State.

 “For the past 10 years, I have been making bridal accessories and decorating weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. I learnt for three years at Awka Road, and then I rented a shop and started my own decoration business. In the beginning, I did not borrow any money to start the business; I used what I had to start small. In 2014, I was approached by some people who told me that Grooming Centre gives loans, so I joined them and started by taking a loan of N40,000. Since then, our group has grown to about 30 women. I really appreciate the Centre because their loans have helped me to do more business.”

Scholastica Ugwuanyi, chemist/Karu, Abuja

 “I went to School of Health and also studied chemistry. When I came out and had no job, I opened this shop. I chose to empower myself. My work in this community is to give primary healthcare. People often come to me first and I give them the drugs I can based on their symptoms. When I see people that I’ve helped passing by, because I’ve been in this community for 17 years, I feel very happy and I thank God for using me as an instrument to help them come out of their sickness.”

Throughout the course of the photo book, it is obvious that women are good or perhaps better managers of funds and not easily distracted from their business focus, almost all of them engaged in two, three or more other successful businesses. Suffice to say the human angle slant of the story deservedly appraises GC for its compassionate approach to soft loans for SMEs and the ripple effects of success story of the company can only portend good for many generations.” Recommended to everyone, especially aspiring SMEs entrepreneurs, the book is a small business masterpiece with stories that touch the heart. Stories of Impact – Real Women, Real Lives, Real Impact, is scheduled for launch in Lagos April 28, 2022.