Hope now rises for market women in Kwara State as a non Governmental women organization called Kwara Women Entrepreneurs Advocacy Forum (KWAWE) is out to empower women folk, especially market women in the area of giving them the ample opportunity of being economically self sufficient using advocacy as a platform.

KWAWE was established in Kwara on May 2012 through the help of Enhancing Nigerian Advocacy for a Better Business Environment (ENABLE) with the mission statement of giving Kwara women the opportunity to have access to fund and economic opportunities within their environment.

KWAWE comprises organizations working on gender and business issues in Kwara state and draws it membership from a diverse and well resourced group of Business Membership Organizations (BMO), NGO, CBO, the media and retired government players. It is an organization that brings experienced, expertise and passion to advance the cause of women and other excluded groups in the society.

The organization last weekend officially launched its forum precisely on 21st of March 2013 at the main hall of Royal Shekinat Hotel, Ajase-Ipo road, Ilorin, the kwara state capital. The launch also featured seminar on Gender and Business Platform (GAB) where the state commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Alhaji Muhammed Raji Atolagbe, representatives of Ambassador Nimota Akanbi, the Nigeria Ambassador to Netherlands; the former Commissioner of Education in the state and now the Chairperson Governing Board of Balogun Gambari Microfinance Bank, Haji Halima Yusu (OON)  among several others.

The launch was an eye opener for people to have idea of the mandate of KWAWE and also an avenue for KWAWE members to showcase and exhibit their goods and services. It was a result oriented programme as everybody in attendance including the government officials lauded the objectives of the KWAWE describing it as a women oriented group.

In his address at the occasion, the state commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Alhaji Muhammed Raji commended the leadership and members of WAWE for their foresight and deep commitment for creating a platform for effective advocacy policy that is designed to make life better for citizens, especially women folk.

The commissioner who was very elated with the vision and mission statements of KWAWE pledged the readiness of the state government to support and assist the organization in all ramifications. He maintained that things will work out well if government, private individuals and corporate organizations on issues affecting the masses.

It is therefore a dream comes reality for Kwara women as KWAWE with its lofty objectives is out to create opportunities for business environment which will hopefully change the lifestyle of market women to better.

Parts of the mandate of KWAWE with the help of ENABLE is to gather voices from BMOs, private sector with government and facilitate participatory avenues to share knowledge on socio-economic issues as well as business opportunities for women.

It is also out to develop and sustain a Gender and Business dialogue platform twice a in Kwara and thereafter document and advocate the outcomes from this platform for effective and efficient advocacy. The main focus of the group is to create synergy between government and the citizens.

In her welcome address, the KWAWE Chairperson, Hajia Asmau S. Apalando said vthe group since its establishment in May last year has been able to conduct several advocacies and skill acquisition programmes for women.

According to her, business clinic was also held for members who participated in this year Federal Government ‘YouWin’ programme saying that six of KWAWE members won the first stage and that they are currently in the second stage of the competition.

Apalando particularly gave kudos to ENABLE its unflinching support to the KWAWE especially in the areas of financial and moral supports, adding that all the above listed programmes and seminars of KWAWE were actively and funded by ENABLE.

“We are greatly indebted to members of ENABLE in Nigeria for making women feel important in the society and for tapping their innate intelligence and resourcefulness. Today, all our women from different business Membership organizations (BMOs) are gathered here to lean more on how they can access loan for their businesses and agricultural entrepreneurship” Apalando said.

The GAB and the launch of KWAWE whose theme was ‘Women Access to Loan for Business and Agriculture’ also featured two guest speakers who spoke on how to access loan for business and agriculture.