Talking about women empowerment, there are programmes and initiatives that help provide women with the tools needed to take their destinies into their hands, enabling their participation in economic decision-making.
This year, Sunlight shared this vision through various programmes that help women develop life skills, own trades as well as showcase their crafts to the world.
For Sunlight, this year’s edition of International Women’s Day celebration was a big hit. At major bus parks in Nigeria, women were celebrated with a surprise visit from the Sunlight team, who gave out gifts and refunded their transport fares.
Sunlight Shero/Shakti programme
The 2019 Sunlight Shero campaign celebrated the resilience and strength of single moms in the society. At the same time, the Shakti programme, an initiative that empowered over 3,000 women, provided most especially women in the rural areas with Unilever products as capital. These products simultaneously empowered the women to start and run their own businesses and expand forthwith.
Sunlight Fashion Focus Fund 2019
Sunlight in collaboration with Style House Files, the conveners of Lagos Fashion Week, through the Fashion Focus Fund, this year empowered women through fashion.
In April, two Nigerian fashion designers who are Alumnae of the Fashion Focus Fund, Chechi Arinze and Titi Belo, benefitted from Sunlight’s initiative to support young female entrepreneurs. They both received N2 million each to support their businesses. They were chosen for their passion to make an impact and empower others – both aligning with the Sunlight’s mission.
The Sunlight Collection
Sunlight partnered with two women’s wear brands, Vathiswa and Zurizola run by Morenikeji Akinsola and Chibuzor Emordi to create the Sunlight Collection.
Inspired by the Sunlight woman, a fun-loving optimist, who always sees the cup as half full, the Sunlight Collection was another cracker. In creating the collection, Sunlight partnered with five female entrepreneurs: Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi, founding publisher, Clever Clogs Books; Bolaji Ayinde-Sekoni, creative director, Nouva Couture; Ifeoma Okoye, founder, PaintedNails NG and ex-beauty queen, Bella Rose Okojie, morning show host at City 105.1FM as well as Nelly Agbogu, founder, Naija Brand Chick and Nellies Nigeria. They all shared how they are empowering women in their different careers and how their goals are closely aligned with Sunlight empowerment programmes.
The collection was available at this year’s Lagos Fashion Week.