A beneficiary of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) , Praise Ighama, has shared her journey to financial freedom from dependency following her enrollment and empowerment by LIFE-ND in Delta state, Nigeria.
Praise, who hails from Sapele in Delta State, began her poultry farming business in 2023 after receiving training and starter packs from the programme.
Specifically, the incubatee told AgroNigeria that after being selected for the LIFE-ND training programme and empowered, her livelihood has improved significantly.
“After completing the training and learning under my incubator, we received starter packs, which included about 250 birds, 50 bags of feed, drugs, and little stipends,” she added.
Sharing her story, Praise explained that the decision taken to stay the course of the training sponsored by LIFE-ND was rewarding as she can now boast of financial independence.
Praise further explained that her poultry farm now houses about 1,200 birds, including both broilers and pullets, adding that she has completed over 10 production cycles.
“We start selling after four to six weeks, depending on the growth rate. Despite the rising costs of feed, running the business has remained profitable.
“The feed costs are high, and many farmers have had to pause their operations because of it, but we’re still trying to keep up,” she noted.
Speaking on the programme’s impact on her livelihood, Praise explained, “The capital I now have access to, compared to 2023, is much better.”
She said that the LIFE-ND programme has positively affected her financial situation.
“I now have financial freedom. It’s a big difference from last year,” she affirmed.
Praise, who was formerly a decorator and event planner, acknowledged improvement in her income as a result of the empowerment obtained from LIFE-ND.
Meanwhile, the project has positively impacted on infrastructure, businesses, and people across local councils in Delta state.
The initiative, which is a collaborative effort between the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Federal Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the nine Niger Delta states, is aimed at transforming the rural economy of the Niger Delta to drive prosperity.
The project’s primary goal is to enhance income, food security, and job creation for rural youth and women through sustainable agricultural enterprise development.