The Ebonyi government has empowered over 250 women, including widows and survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), with facilities to start poultry businesses.

The facilities included chickens, feeds, vitamins, financial support, and other essential equipment for the poultry business.

The empowerment was in collaboration with the wife of the Ebonyi governor, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru and the wives of the coordinators in the 64 Development Centres (DC).

Felicia Nwamkpuma, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, who presented the start-up package to the beneficiaries on Friday in Abakaliki, said that empowering the women became necessary to end GBV.

Ms Nwamkpuma said the empowerment was to enhance the beneficiaries’ livelihoods and improve awareness of GBV practices across the 64 DCs in Ebonyi.

She explained that the initiative, which focused on poultry production, was aimed at generating income, promoting gender equality and combating poverty in vulnerable homes.

“We realised that reducing poverty among these groups is not something the government can do alone.

“You know this present government has an interest in women’s empowerment. Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi has done well in this regard,” Ms Nwamkpuma said.

The commissioner reiterated the government’s commitment to improving gender equality, urging the beneficiaries to “make good use of the opportunity to become the master of their own.

“We also need to invest in other fields of agriculture, and that is why we picked poultry. We must harvest in other fields as the rainy season sets in,” she stated.

A beneficiary, Eucharia Uguru, who hails from the Enyida Development Council in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state, expressed her gratitude to the government for the support.

(NAN)