DEC 2006 ANNUAL REPORT AND PLAN FOR 2007 PRESENTED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION CENTER (DEC) ENUGU NIGERIA, CHIEF CECILIA ASOGWA
The Chairman of this occasion,
Our Special Guests of Honor,
Members of the Board of Directors of DEC Enugu here present,
DEC Social Mobilizers & Distinguished DEC Assisted women Self Help group leaders,
Members of the press,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
We are happy again to present DEC Enugu 2006 Annual Report. We acknowledge the efforts of more than 30,000 women, men, youths and children, who throughout the going year, intensified their journey from poverty to dignity through the access to training and socio-economic empowerment programme of DEC Enugu.
We are grateful to all our partners both in Nigeria and abroad for their consistency in supporting DEC financially, aimed at transforming the lives of our clients and their families.
In a special way, I thank God for blessing the efforts of our members who are mostly rural and urban poor women, our volunteer board members and all DEC staff.
In 2006, we scaled-up our outreach in the urban areas of Enugu – (i.e. Ogwuagor, Abakpa, Emene, Gariki, Awkunanaw, Amechi Awkunanaw, Akwuke, Iva valley and Ugwu Aaron). We have succeeded in consolidating our activities in Ebonyi state by the official opening of our new office in Abakiliki in september 2006 to bring our services nearer to the people of Ebonyi state. Despite all these efforts aimed at reaching out to more clients in the urban areas, we are not loosing sight of our mission priority – which is; to provide opportunity and an enabling environment for the poor, to transform their lives; especially women.
In the out-going year, DEC disbursed N130m to more than 9,000 clients which comprises of 6000 new clients in 2006 alone and 3,000 clients brought forward from 2005. These are direct beneficiaries of DEC Micro credit scheme in Enugu, Abakiliki and Nsukka branches.
The rural areas and rural women continue to be a priority area for DEC, where our programs are relieving poverty for more than 30,000 women and their families who are participants in DEC Social Service programs which include women empowerment through DEC’ Democracy and Governance project (D&G), literacy programs, community health education, mobile free health care services, job creation for out-of-school female youths through skills acquisition training in computer education, fashion and textile designing as well as catering.
Our new intervention in combating the dreaded disease of HIV/AIDS through the formation of an action oriented Youths Vanguards in some DEC communities are reducing the spread of the virus and at the same time empowering the youths to say NO to the spread of HIV/AIDS. The D&G program of DEC Enugu has continuously enabled women both in the rural and urban areas to demand for their rights to own property on the demise of their husband, fight against injustice and discrimination based on sex, religion and ethnicity.
In the area of community development and community empowerment, DEC has in the out-going year in partnership with the Umunne Ogene Women Association in Imilike Uno, embarked on the construction of a multi purpose Civic Centre which is nearing completion. The project has cost the women not less than 3.0 million naira.
Our commitment to paving the road from poverty to dignity is motivated by Jesus Christ’ call to serve the poor and the needy.
With more than 60 million of our sisters and brothers in Nigeria, struggling to exist on less than One USD a day, we in DEC Enugu are committed to serving the poorest of the poor (especially women).
Our great vision is to fund 50,000 women micro entrepreneurs from 2005 – 2015. We have the experience, the proven methods and the passion.
2006 HIGHLIGHTS
Number of clients that assessed DEC micro credit in 2006 = 9,000
Amount of Naira disbursed in 2006 = N135m
Average loan per group member = N15,000
% of loans made to women = 99.98%
Number of field staff employed = 25
Current loan repayment rate = 95%
DEC inaugurated and promoted the formation of Youth Vanguard in 8 communities in Enugu state. DEC Social Services department support these youth vanguard in different communities financially to enable them carry out Health Advocacy as regards HIV/AIDS prevention and care for people living with AIDS
Trained literacy workers and financially supported basic literacy classes for adult women in 20 communities working with DEC Enugu as well as equipping these classes with teaching and learning materials.
Trained and graduated 20 out-of-school female youths in the field of computer literacy, fashion and textile designing and catering; and supported them with a take-off seed grant for the best performed students.
Inaugurated and established 2 strong community based women organizations, known as (D&G) pressure groups, to encourage women empowerment principles in their rural communities, including enabling majority of women to work towards economic self-reliance. The communities are Awhum in Udi L.G.A. and Mmaku in Awgu L.G.A., all in Enugu state.
DEC concluded plans to merge DEC Microfinance services with Nnebuife Community Bank Limited for conversion to a one-unit Bank of N20m before the end of 2007, with Cash Centres in Abakpa, Awkunanaw, Nsukka, Eha alumona and Abakiliki.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2007
For more than one and a half decade, DEC Enugu has been opening doors of hope for the world’s poorest women. Such hope comes in form of tangible results which clients use their earnings of their newly acquired knowledge to improve their status of living; like improving their houses, land acquisition, better nutrition, education for their children and adequate health care. HOPE helps to transform the next generation. Through the doors of hope lies a better future for the poor and a much better and safer world for all of us.
DEC as one of the leading NGOs in micro finance and micro enterprise development East of the Niger, will continue to work to overthrow the shackles of chronic poverty among women.
In 2007, DEC in her micro finance services will be more flexible in her strategy of lending to qualified clients. The new strategy which is already in practice since September 2006 is that DEC will disburse loans to any qualified group of ten women or credit-worthy individuals, who met their criteria for lending at any time. These clients from hence forth need not wait for a specific time of year to access DEC loans as was the practice before.
In 2007, DEC will launch new loan products for rural women involved in food processing, like cassava flour, garri processing, palm kernel cracking, dry season vegetable gardening using water pumps and other farm productive activities. Our target is to reach at least 50 women resident in the rural communities who are involved in the processing of agricultural products with small loans which they can manage. This loan PRODUCT is individually accessed but must be guaranteed by an umbrella women association in the client’s community, as well as a State recognized Traditional ruler or a Parish priest or church minister in the community. The interest on this loan is highly subsidized and different from the loan meant for buying and selling activity. The mode of repayment and collateral is also different from the loan meant for buying and selling. Our main objective here is to re-invigorate our rural economy by empowering women with small loans which they can manage individually and grow gradually with time. From experience we have learnt that the success and sustainability of this kind of program will need the intervention of the Federal Government with a serious plan where MFIs with good track record can be supported with grants or interest free loan with a long period of repayment. The MFIs and community banks should be assisted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to access special support from multi lateral agencies and the Central Bank of Nigeria if they are to make a remarkable impact in our grassroots economy of which they are being positioned to do. Also in 2007, DEC will lunch a new product for salaried workers who save regularly with DEC Microfinance bank. This Saving product enables clients get access to DEC special loan for hospital bills, school fees, house rent and other consumer loan.
DEC offers a workable solution to poverty by giving the poor a working chance. Rather than hand-out, DEC Enugu offers a hand-up to a better life by providing the people with the tools to build their future.
Change starts with DEC’s innovative group-lending structure – the village banking model for her rural-based clients and the branch system (ASA model) for her urban –poor clients. DEC gives training in basic business practice as well as other financial services such as savings opportunities to their clients before assessing loans throughout the utilization of her loan. DEC and her clients have proved that poor people especially women are worthy credit risks.
DEC has computerized all sections of her Micro finance services as well as her subsidiary – the Nnebuife Community Bank, hired more competent staff, developed new product lines to create more choices for our clients. Our goal is to make both financial institutions a strong Micro-finance institution with a solid base, in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s new policy on Micro finance services in Nigeria.
In 2007, DEC will financially support 4 new communities in their own identified community development projects aimed at poverty reduction and inclusive development of both men and women in their communities. As for our Skills Acquisition project and job creation for out-of-school female youths, DEC in 2007 will train and support at least 30 out-of-school female youths with the necessary facility for a take-off after training.
In concluding, Development Education Centre (DEC) Enugu, on behalf of the Trustees of SIR FIDELIS CHUKWUMA ASOGWA EDUCATION FOUNDATION is highly pleased to announce the 2006-2007 Bursary award to 20 new beneficiaries of the Foundation Bursary award for both Tertiary and Secondary school students in Enugu state. This is the 7th Bursary Award of this Foundation and this year has brought the number of beneficiaries to 140.
I thank the Trustees of this Foundation for entrusting your charitable gifts to DEC and for joining us in this great mission.
Chief Cecilia Asogwa Executive Director
Development Education Centre (DEC) Enugu
