PROJECT REPORT
Name of Organization: Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation.
Project Title/Name: Mentoring 5K Women Entrepreneurs in Southeast, Nigeria
Focus Country: Nigeria.
Project Locations: Southeast, Nigeria.
Focus Area: Skills development, Problem solving, Goal Setting and Networking
Project Type: Direct service, Street based Project
Proponent: Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation
Address Klm 1 Eke-Ahiara Junction, Umuofor Nnarambia
Ahiara, Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria
BRANCH OFFICE: 88 Murtala Muhammed way,
Yaba, Ebute Metta, Lagos.
EMAIL: support@samonyemaechihumanitarian.org
WEBSITE: https://www.samonyemaechihumanitarian.org
Introduction;
Encouraging women entrepreneurs is vital for economic growth as their participation has a direct bearing on improving the standard of living, helps in job creation and allows them more social independence that bring about better outcomes at the community level. A woman entrepreneur is therefore a confident, creative and innovative woman. desiring economic independence individually and simultaneously creating employment.
Executive Summary:
Mentoring Women in Business, a project in Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation was born from the belief in the power of mentoring, in the role technology can play in building connections, and in community as a powerful force for change. By forging these elements together, we at Sam onyemaechi humanitarian Foundation created a new way to support women entrepreneurs in Southeast to grow and strengthen their businesses and build their skills, confidence and knowledge. To foster growth and development among women entrepreneurs, SOHF occasionally brings a Femtor (Female Mentorship) who is willing to act as a trusted confidante over an extended period of time with an objective to provide advice, counselling from a fresh perspective, collaborate and help an entrepreneur stay focused on their long-term goal of making their venture a success. They work together for a year to forge and work towards a plan for the woman’s business and personal development based on her goals.
A strong mentoring partnership has incredible rewards for both mentee and mentor. In pairs, they work together for 12 months, with the mentor helping the mentee to achieve her business goals, as well as build her wealth, independence, and financial security. Becoming a mentor offers business professionals the chance to play a pivotal role in an entrepreneur’s business growth at a critical stage of her business. You could find yourself working with a shoe designer from Lagos, a shop owner from Kaduna, a wine producer from South Africa or a travel agency owner from Kenya. By sharing your business knowledge with a woman entrepreneur, you’ll support her to boost her confidence, improve her business performance, develop and add to her skills, and have a significant impact on her life, family, community and beyond.
Organizational Background
Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ started in the year 2012, officially registered September 7, 2017. Joined GlobalGiving community May 29, 2021, with a vision to create a new way to support women entrepreneurs in Southeast to grow and strengthen their businesses and build their skills, confidence and knowledge. To foster growth and development among women entrepreneurs. In the first 3 months of its operations, ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ did a rapid assessment in the region to discover a dearth of serious, structured interventions with young and aged people in the area. The team from ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ visited more than 20 rural communities and several NGO functionaries operating in the area to learn about the involvement of youth and adult in social initiatives in the area. In these visits, most of the principals, teachers and social workers voiced a need to build leadership among young people on social issues and motivate them to take up social action initiatives. The educators expressed their concerns and difficulties involved in mobilizing young people for social action initiatives.
In the same period, a team from ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ participated in the ‘Change Makers program’ that was conducted jointly by The Nonprofit council with the aim of understanding the current community development initiatives of other NGOs across Nigeria. During this phase the team studied the program design and the community mobilization methods of these NGOs. The team also underwent a one year long mentoring and handholding under this program. In the process, the team also participated in a several learning programs with several NGOs working on community issues from across the nation. In these sessions, the team interacted with more than 12 NGOs and their several community leaders working in different parts of the country.
Equipped with an understanding of local issues and an understanding of the best practices of NGOs from across the country, ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ started conducting basic life skill and active citizenship programs in communities in Southeast. The program was named ‘change for life’. These workshops caught the interest of educators and students alike and they welcomed ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ team to conduct repeat workshops on several issues in 15 communities with around 8,367 in attendant. This program also had an indirect outreach of another 4200 people. ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ also initiated a pilot program named ‘Metamorphosis’ that involved families in community outreach program. This program involved around 10,600 farmers from 15 different communities in the area. In the same period, ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ conducted two parent counseling workshops in two different communities to discuss the issues of their children. This program titled ‘Parenting and grassroots child-care' helped us put forward our standpoints and increased our acceptance with parents who are the prime decision makers for their children
Now in its second year of operation, ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ has started conducting life skill and active citizenship workshops in 10 additional Communities. This program so far had a direct outreach of 2700 families. Parenting and grassroots child-care has been conducted in two new Communities in the year. Currently, ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation is actively working with 23 communities in Southeast working on different issues in different communities. In order to give a push to these projects, 'Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ has identified the need for:
a) Help the vulnerable improve and maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle and to maximize their quality of life.
b) Starting of 2 Resource Centers in southeast to address the needs of farmers
a) Resource Centers for youth to learn vocational skills.
b) Resource and Empowerment Centers for farmers to equip them with skills in farming.
Vision and Goal
The vision and goal of Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian foundation is to help entrepreneurs learn how to navigate many of the challenges typically faced by social entrepreneurs. To help them build knowledge, confidence, character, and skills to lead businesses successfully. an individual live as comfortably, safely and independently as possible. Create a society where women are empowered and socially integrated. We aim to contribute to the building of a society in which people are encouraged and enabled to productively develop with a strategic plan in order that the entrepreneur can reach the targets successfully.
Core values
Involving people, applying knowledge and making things happen. We take as our Motto “Peace, social justice, diversity, fun and democracy as key values” which guide us.
Organizational Structure
‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ is registered as a Trust with Mr. AKARAONYE, Engr. Greg, Mr. Joseph and Ms. Rosita as the Board of Trustees. The ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ Team is currently led by Chief Anyanwu and comprises of Mr. Dominic, Ms. Agnes, Mr. Ezekiel, Ms. Anthonia etc.
Aims and Objectives
The aim and objectives of Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation is to help entrepreneurs build self-reliance and leadership skills. Help them discover their own insights, abilities and solutions as they start and grow their business. Support their self-directed learning and help them come to their own conclusions and decisions.
Target Beneficiaries
The project was implemented in the rural communities in Southeast and Southwest, comprising of women both low-, middle- and high-income earners. The direct beneficiaries are women entrepreneurs. This a long-term project of ten years. The project aimed at mentoring five thousand women entrepreneurs in business. In its short-term project, this will be carried out bit-by-bit with a maximum of five hundred entrepreneurs on a yearly basis.
The impact of the underlying project on the target population.
The impact of the underlying project on the targeted population cannot be overemphasize. Since the inception of this program in our organization, there have been a significant change and development. It has increased confidence, addressed strength and weaknesses. It has facilitated the growth and development of high-potential leaders. Demonstrates visible commitment to staff development and continuous learning. Foster an inclusive, diverse and collaborative environment. This collaborative nature of mentoring has enabled both career and leadership development to help employees expand fresh skills and feel engaged within the organization. These have led to a happier workforce and better employee retention rates for a stronger organization. Mentoring programs have helped women entrepreneurs know that the organization values them and has an interest in their personal development, leading to increased productivity and reduction in turnover.
*Project Details
INCOME
S/N Date Description Amount
1 11/24/21 Donation received through GlobalGiving $9.90
2 01/26/22 Donation received through GlobalGiving $16.78
3 12/09/21 Products Sales $.980.21
total $1,006.89
Working capital= $1,006.89
EXPENSES
S/N DATE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
1 15/11/21 Meeting costs (conference room, refreshment etc.) $316.05
2 14/11/21 Program materials $150.78
3 28/01/22 Volunteer/Staff appreciation $300
4 05/01/22 Graphic Artist $50
5 05/01/22 ICT Development $65
6 12/02/22 Communication and telephone bills $95.01
Grand Total $976.84
Grand Total of Expenditures= $976.84
Balance= $30.05
Difficulties and Challenges
There have been excuses on the part of the mentors and mentees in scheduling a specific time for meeting. Sometimes the reason was as a result of poor network in rural-urban cities. Failing to meet as schedule and frequent postponements. We also observed ineffective mentoring pairs. One of the challenges also that hinders our progress and drawing us backward in realising our project goal is lack of capital and sponsorship. We call on all to support us in the forth coming little by little fundraising campaign coming up in April 4th through 8th.
Sustainability of the Project
The ability of our organization as a whole to survive and to meet our mission goal, we embark on an entrepreneurial venture, as a way of raising money for community, financial and organizational sustainability. The foundation runs a food production, processing and packaging factory. We have been partnering with a company in processing our food items for sales. We are working hard to build our own factory for our organizational sustainability, and to help youth that have vocational skill to acquaint themselves with entrepreneurial skills to be resourceful and useful to themselves and society at large. The procurement of the necessary equipment for production, processing and packaging of organic raw materials(food) and construction of a multi-purpose hall that will accommodate our factory and other activities is our priority, we can achieve this through external sources like grants and long-term funding or through internal sources like income-generating activities or membership fees. And to actualize our mission and goal, we have these points as our guiding principles: Collaborative leadership, member-driven decisions, effective communication, change-ready and adaptive workforce continuous improvement, on-going evaluation and measurement, sound financial infrastructure.
Annexes
Annexed below is a sample of this section that has been drawn from the project report of ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ – a non-profit organization that works with young adolescents, youths and adult in rural Communities.
*Overview of the Program:
We at ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ very much value exposure, interaction and peer learning processes. Our recent interactions with more than 20 Communities have reinforced this belief. We are now looking out for support to create 2 youth resource and Empowerment centers in southeast, Nigeria where young, adult etc. can come together, co-create learning experiences and contribute positively to the community development. We plan to utilize these resource Empowerment centers as spaces for involving the youth and adult in “self-development” and ‘social action’ projects of various kind. 'Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ has the required experience and expertise to design and run social action campaigns. We feel campaigns are great opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills, highlight social issues, develop deeper understanding about issues and mobilize young people. Campaigns give energy and take care of youth and adult needs such as fun, interaction, novelty etc. We want to organize a campaign each year highlighting youth action.
What we have achieved so far?
‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ is now an accepted name in more than 35 Communities. Our volunteers are personally known to tens of thousands of families in southeast. As a part of self-development initiative, we have conducted workshops in more than 25 Communities in the last 3 years with a direct outreach of approximately 4000 people in the last 3 years. We have so far organized one major campaign in nearby villages where they went and identified families who were not buoyant enough to Carter for their family’s needs.
Since the beginning ‘Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation’ has been running out several programs in Communities promoting spirit of volunteerism and celebrating youth led social action. We have organized a major social action project titled ‘Change for life’ in 10 large Communities with an approximate outreach of around 23000 peoples. This project involved collecting and donating used and unused clothes blankets, shoes, food items to the needy.
What we propose?
Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian foundation wants to transform how people in the community think, act and talk about dementia. To this end, in the next 12 to 18 months, SOHF plans to build and have a hospice, supported by volunteers. They aim to make more of an impact, circulate more information into the community and expand activities and events to support more people. This will depend on obtaining funding and other forms of support as any costs currently incurred to run events are out of pocket expenses. Additionally, they are actively engaging with more community centers, the local council and NGOs to support the SOHF and its expanding activities.
Awareness Campaign:
We will design and run campaigns involving adolescents’ young people and adult from rural and urban areas every year starting with the end of year 1. The theme of the campaign will be designed by the adolescents. This will help them to consolidate their learnings and create awareness about social issues.
Conclusion
Successful entrepreneurs are ambitious, independent, self-confident, creative, energetic, passionate and committed. They have a high need for achievement and a willingness to take moderate risks. Entrepreneurs are important to market economies because they can act as the wheels of the economic growth of the country. By creating new products and services, they stimulate new employment, which ultimate results in the acceleration of economic development.
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