Economic Empowerment Programmes
We transform Stagnant rural communities into viable socio-economic centers. We encourage students and other community members to learn new styles of economic empowerment.
With a multiplying effect of graduating students from our institutions of learning and majority of local women who are jobless, CORAfrica collaborates with faith-based institutions to empower young persons undertake small business ventures in various fields. Our Programmes are run in collaboration with the ODAIP Micro-Finance Bank
CORAfrica Empowerment programmes also target families of Cameroonian Refugees by providing affordable soft loans that will enable them engage in small and Medium Enterprises (SME) for sustainable livelihoods. Funds invested are expected to yield profit to sustain the CORAfrica Economic Empowerment Programme.
In the past, we have funded families and SMEs, recording a 100% repayment rate over the past years.CORAfrica helps refugee farming families manage a form of credit building that will support agriculture activities and other small business ventures through the Greater Food Security Programme (GFS). This will in turn help parents pay for their children’s education. The program will enlist small scale farmers (men and women) by training them locally in credit building, with a focus on self-reliance, strategic marketing, massive production and storage of home food items. This credit facility will in future advance farmers with materials such as fertilizers, agro-chemicals, seeds, farm implements and other needs.
Recent Impact in Empowerment
- Training of staff among the refugees who will be the key stakeholders of our interventions.
- Developing an integrated portal (with scientific data) that will help the organization fast track activities.
- Providing measures that will enable the collection and analyzing of comprehensive data of families to benefit (number of beneficiaries depends on profit input).
- Organizing community meetings which can serve as an exchange of ideas that will enable us to know what the refugees need.
- Recording the interest generated from other businesses so as to know the action to take on other projects.
- Collaborating with the diocese and parishioners to empower farmers and business minede individuals especially the youth, women and other vulnerable audiences.
PEEP – PARISH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME
PEEP is a programme whereby parishioners will access funds to engage in small business enterprises and the cultivation of Agricultural ventures geared towards a targeted population (Parishioners) especially youth and women. The programme will also encourage Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship, promote small businesses and shall be run by the CYON of the parish.
The AIMS and OBJECTIVES of the programme is basically to build an economic and financial support base for parishioners, encourage entrepreneurial framework and create an avenue for revenue generation for the parish through direct investment projects. Proceeds or profit from these investments shall be remitted to the parish development account where projects are implemented and further support given for diocesan projects
The Programme is divided into Four (4) basic areas which include:
- Small business loans for Parishioners (also for Cassava project)
- Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship for Youth
- The Food Storage Programme
- Religious articles and provision store
SMALL BUSINESS LOANS FOR PARISHIONERS
Parishioners who are already engaged in legitimate businesses and have need for expansion will be given soft loans on demand. The interest rate charged is 2% flat rate to encourage more participation with stringent measures for repayment. Proceeds accruing from this shall be re-deployed to the Parish development fund for projects. The term soft loan shall span between 6-10months depending on their needs. Under this loan granting system, we shall encourage Cassava cultivation for those parishioners who are interested and are disposed for farming. Interested members are expected to cluster in five and shall be funded through input financing. Farm inspectors shall supervise and ensure that the farms succeed.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SKILL ACQUISITION
This category engages parishioners in the area of training for small business management while the youth shall be trained free of charge to acquire vocational skills in various areas such as baking of snacks, art works etc. Skills Acquisition training will be done in collaboration with ODAIP ventures.
FOOD STUFFS STORAGE
This is a parish direct investment project which will involve sourcing for raw food stuffs, storing them up during harvest and disposing them at the market when prices have appreciated.
RELIGIOUS ARTICLES/PROVISION STORE
A Bookshop (religious articles) and Provision store has already been opened and shall be operated and supervised by the Parish CYON. The store shall carter for children and adults needs by providing a market for the sale of religious articles, provisions, drinks and food items.
Vocational and Skills Acquisition Centre (VASAC)
PEEP – PARISH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME
The Vocational and Skills Acquisition Center (VASAC) is one of the basic components in CORAfrica’s Community Education Center. In the recent past. we conceived an architectural design and animation tthat would enable us commence negotiation and engagement with relevant ministries, departments and agencies on how to bring this vision to reality. Unfortunately, we were not able because of the lack of funds ensuing form the COVID 19 predicament. The proposed Vocational Skills Acquisition Training Center will compose of the following Department
- Department 1: Vocational – Handicraft, Photography, Music, Hair Dressing
- Department 2: Computer & Internet Services – Website Design, Desktop publishing, Microsoft office, Graphics Applications, Computer Networking, Digital marketing.
- Department 3: Technical – Electrical, Electronics, Auto Mechanics, Welding.
- Department 4: Fashion/Design – Tailoring, Bead Making, Shoe making and Interior decoration.
- Department 5: Building, Block work, Masonry, Carpentry, Furniture, Plumbing, Tiling, Painting, Design/Draughtsmanship, Aluminum work, etc
