Felix King Foundation has set aside $1 million for its rural community engagement scheme, ‘Rural Market Moni’ but now rechristened ‘Better Life for African Women’. This is to ensure that the most vulnerable amongst the women are not left behind in the recovery process of COVID-19 pandemic. 
According to the founder of Felix King Foundation, Dr. Felix King Eiremiokhae, “Rural communities are the most hit during this period with cases of malnutrition and malaria rising in numbers, and sources of income depleted.
In 2019, the foundation launched ‘Goal 36,000 by 2029’, an initiative targeted to reach and impact 36,000 women in 10 years, and despite the effect of the pandemic, the foundation still believes in the goal. “Much has been achieved through the rural women ‘Market Moni’ and WIFARM schemes, but with COVID-19 pandemic, the need to re-access the programme with a strategy that works with present reality made it possible for this modification,” he stated.
To hit the ground running, an initial $350,000 has been released for the Edo State phase, which is scheduled to kick-off in September, as approved by the governing board. On how the balance will be raised, Eiremiokhae posited that it would come through a dollar-for-dollar match system.
Speaking on women empowerment, Eiremiokhae said: “We believe that when you provide women with capital and convening opportunities to network, you have empowered voices that speak and make the communities peaceful, prosperous and great. The programme will help secure a place for rural African women to thrive and lead their families, communities and the continent into a new arena of hope and progress, as nations recover from COVID-19.”
Meanwhile, registration of meeting groups begins first week of September and Edo State will be the launching pad.

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