GCRM’ AKA OPER IN COLLABORATION WITH NCAA WITH SUPPORT FROM GFW, EMPOWER AGORO, AND AYAMASA WOMEN WITH CASSAVA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

To promote economic empowerment and sustainable development, a collaborative initiative led by Global Care Rescue Mission (GCRM) and the National Council of Affirmative Actions (NCAA) with support from the Global Fund Crisis Fund for Women (GFW) has provided cassava processing machines to women in the Agoro Community in Sagbama LGA and the Ayamasa Community in Ekeremor LGA, both located in Bayelsa State. This initiative, which took place from August 28th to 29th, 2024, aims to boost local production, enhance food security, and create income-generating opportunities for women, who play a vital role in the community’s agricultural sector.

Amb. Princess Egbe, coordinator of GLOBAL CARE RESCUE MISSION, expressed that the project, supported by GFW, seeks to address the challenges faced by local women in processing cassava, a staple food in the region. The manual process of grinding cassava is labor-intensive and time-consuming, limiting the women’s ability to produce in large quantities and hindering their potential earnings.

During the inaugural ceremony, the Amananawei of Agoro Community, HRH Mark Deinkoru Ekiyuo, emphasized the importance of empowering women and expressed gratitude for the donation of the cassava processing plant to the community. He urged the government and other organizations to address the community’s infrastructure needs, particularly the 5km distance to the Sagbama/Ekeremor Highway Road.

The Chairperson of the Cooperative in Agoro Community, Mrs. Helen Maurice, thanked the funders and facilitators for the project, highlighting the importance of the new cassava processing equipment in addressing the challenges faced by the women in the community.

Mrs. Helen Maurice stressed the timely intervention of the organization and expressed gratitude to the funders, assuring them of the cooperative’s productivity and commitment to using the equipment to increase their income and include more women in the cooperative. She also pledged to use the cooperative’s proceeds to organize a cassava products festival next year.

The cassava processing equipment is designed to process large volumes efficiently, reducing the time spent on manual labor. The King of Ayamasa Federated Community, HRH Honourable Oyaseiye T. Moses, commended the organization for the initiative and expressed gratitude to the facilitators and funders.

Mrs. Mercy Manager, Chairlady of the Cooperative in Ayamasa Community, thanked the NGO for the equipment and pledged their commitment to using it according to the cooperative constitution to enhance the women’s livelihoods in the community. Additionally, Comrade Butter Tombrapade Joseph of Ayamasa Federated Community assured the community’s support and emphasized the committee’s role in safeguarding the women’s interests.

The event concluded with the official unveiling and commissioning of the cassava processing equipment for the use of the Cooperative by the CDC Chairman of Ayamasa Federated Community, Mr Apeikumo Aliebiri.