Climate change: Group commends WISE for cultivating a strong network of female green entrepreneurs

The Asteven Group has praised the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Women Initiative for Sustainable Environment (WISE), for creating an army of female and female-identified green businesses in Kaduna State.

The award was presented on Saturday during a symposium in Kaduna by Dr. Sunny Akpoyibo, the Chief Executive Officer of Asteven Group, a major player in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.

The focus of the one-day conference on financial literacy and green creative microfinance was “Boosting Green Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Livelihood for Women and Girls.”

It was put on by WISE in an effort to educate women and girls about sustainable living, green investment options, and funding strategies for the growth of sustainable businesses.

Other topics covered green microfinancing, helping start-ups’ access to microcredit, and how to scale green businesses.

Akpoyibo referred to women-led renewable energy solutions and economic prospects to power the nation as a “call to action” in a keynote speech.

He asserted that women have continually demonstrated their ability to effect change, and the renewable energy industry was no exception.

He continued by saying that women have the potential to develop technologies that can power the country and beyond in the fields of solar, wind, and bioenergy.

He claims that there are numerous advantages, including those for the environment, social justice, and economic development.

“The Asteven Group’s core beliefs and mission are strongly reflected in the theme of today’s symposium.

Our pursuit of renewable energy has been motivated by our conviction in the revolutionary potential of green entrepreneurship.

He clarified that utilising the potential of clean and sustainable energy sources was only one aspect of green business; it also involved empowering people, particularly women and girls.

According to him, doing so will empower individuals to shape their own futures through creative projects that foster both economic development and environmental protection.

The action WISE undertook as part of the COVID and Climate Resilience Programme, according to him, reflects a forward-thinking strategy for addressing the interlinked concerns of our day.

“It is crucial that we focus our efforts on financial literacy, sustainable business models, and green microfinancing as we manage the complexities of a changing climate and a worldwide pandemic.

These, he continued, “are not just buzzwords, but the pillars on which our common future rests.”

More than 350 women and girls attended the symposium, according to Akpoyibo, who described them as members of a movement with the power to transform businesses, neighbourhoods, and lives.

He made the point that the globe was undergoing a significant transformation and added that their active participation in adopting green entrepreneurship would leave an imprint on the society.

He declared, “The opportunities they bring are far larger than the challenges we face.

The Executive Director of WISE, Mrs. Olanike Olugboji-Daramola, had earlier claimed that over time, man has misused natural resources and lived in discord with nature.

A lot of individuals lost their means of support as a result of COVID-19, according to Olugboji-Daramola, who also noted that climate change was having an impact on agricultural output and food security.

She claimed that the symposium’s goal was to increase women’s resilience because they were the group most impacted by COVID-19 and the effects of climate change.

She said that WISE had worked with financial institutions to give women access to microloans and support to invest in green business ventures for long-term financial security.

Insisting that renewable energy was the way of the future, she urged women to participate in the value chain.

“We want women to adopt a culture of investing and saving in light of climate change.

In light of the issues posed by climate change, there are numerous opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

“One could buy solar lamps or energy-efficient cooking stoves, invest in agriculture, or offer solutions to the climate crisis,” she remarked. (NAN)