Train S/East Youth in Snail & Fish Farming Projec!

This quarterly report provides an update on the progress, strategic developments, and evolving prospects of the “Train 3,000 Widows in Snail Farming” project. The project remains a transformative solution to the challenges of poverty, food insecurity, and economic exclusion facing widows in South-East Nigeria.

During this reporting period, the project recorded remarkable progress in capacity building, partnership strengthening, and innovation adoption—ensuring widows are not only trained but also positioned to run sustainable agri-businesses. Snail farming, chosen for its low startup cost, nutritional value, and high market demand, continues to offer a reliable pathway for livelihood restoration and resilience building.

New Developments This Quarter

1. Strategic Partnership with Isidore CompetitivAI Avatar

SOHF proudly integrated Isidore CompetitivAI Avatar into the project ecosystem to enhance digital monitoring, mentorship, and smart agriculture support. Through this innovation:

Widows now have AI-powered agricultural extension services, offering real-time guidance on snail farming practices.

24/7 mentorship is available via voice/text, ensuring widows can access tailored advice on production, breeding, and market strategies.

Real-time farm data analysis improves yield prediction, record keeping, and sustainability tracking.

Enhanced efficiency in beneficiary tracking, needs-assessment, and program delivery.

This innovation future-proofs rural farming widows against digital exclusion while integrating them into a smart agro-value chain.

Project Overview

The project aims to train 3,000 widows in snail farming, while providing startup kits, financial literacy, and market linkage support. Within 18 months, the initiative will strengthen women-led agribusinesses, boost local food security, and generate sustainable income streams.

This initiative is part of SOHF’s broader Women Economic Empowerment Program (WEEP®), advancing economic inclusion, gender justice, and resilience among underserved women in Nigeria.

Key Partnerships

Thrive UpliftTrust Ltd (TUT Empower®): Providing microcredit and seed grants for snail pen setup.

SOHF FinTech Solutions®: Enabling widows’ access to digital financial services, savings groups, and credit scoring.

Isidore CompetitivAI Avatar: Offering AI-enabled agricultural intelligence, monitoring, and mentorship.

Optimus Bank: Strategic partnership offering widows savings and investment opportunities with 8% annual interest returns, helping them build financial security and long-term resilience.

TROVVA Incubation Hub: Providing incubation support for widows interested in scaling their snail farming into broader agri-enterprises, offering business development services, market strategies, and entrepreneurial mentorship.

Activities This Quarter

1. Capacity Building & System Development

Deployed AI-enabled snail farming training modules.

Trained facilitators and project staff on hybrid AI-human mentoring.

Conducted workshops on sustainable snail pen construction and breeding practices.

2. Widow Engagement & Pre-Selection

Pre-screened 85 widows across Imo, Abia, and Enugu States.

Selected the first cohort of 50 widows for pilot training.

Conducted community orientation sessions to strengthen group solidarity and peer learning.

3. Snail Farming Training & Setup

Hands-on training delivered on snail pen building, feeding, breeding, and record keeping.

Distributed starter packs (snail stock, feeds, and pen materials) to the pilot group.

Integrated FinTech tools for cooperative savings, business wallets, and micro-loan access.

Challenges

Funding Shortfalls: Due to the current economic situation in Nigeria, fundraising remains a significant challenge.

Technology Accessibility Gaps: Some widows lack smartphones for digital mentorship.

Market Instability: Rising costs of feed and construction materials impacted startup budgets.

Adaptations & Solutions

AI Cost Efficiency: CompetitivAI reduces staffing/training overhead by offering remote mentorship.

Community Access Hubs: Established training hubs with shared devices for widows without digital access.

Micro-Phase Rollout: Began with 300 widows as pilot group, expanding as funds allow.

Social Safety Net Program: SOHF has integrated widows into its Social Safety Net, ensuring that the most vulnerable receive temporary relief support in food, healthcare, and small stipends while they stabilize their snail farms.

Prospects

Scalability

With AI, Optimus Bank’s financial solutions, and TROVVA’s incubation support, SOHF can scale training from hundreds to thousands of widows at minimal incremental cost, creating decentralized women-led agribusiness networks.

Sustainable Livelihoods

Each trained widow transitions into a profitable agro-entrepreneurship pathway, ensuring:

Steady household income

Improved food security

Community-wide replication of snail farming practices

Alignment with SDGs

The project advances SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Conclusion

The Train 3,000 Widows in Snail Farming project is steadily building an inclusive, sustainable, and scalable empowerment model for marginalized women in South-East Nigeria. By combining traditional agribusiness skills with AI-powered mentorship, Optimus Bank’s innovative financial solutions, TROVVA’s incubation for entrepreneurs, and SOHF’s Social Safety Net, the project positions widows as economic actors, community leaders, and resilient entrepreneurs.

SOHF remains committed to empowering widows with tools, knowledge, and systems to thrive. We call on donors, partners, and development stakeholders to invest in this impact-driven, scalable model of rural women empowerment.

Sam Onyemaechi Humanitarian Foundation (SOHF)

Redefining Impact through Innovation and Empathy