Empowerment
Operation LADDER
In 2022, Nigeria faced devastating floods due to heavy rains causing loss of life, displacement, and destruction of houses, farms, and infrastructure. It was considered the worst flood in over a decade with 603 deaths, 2,400 injuries, and over 1.4 million displaced people as reported by NEMA in October 2022. The situation was exacerbated by the release of excess water from the Lagdo dam in Northern Cameroon into Nigeria through River Benue, causing further harm to vulnerable communities.
The floods resulted in the destruction or damage of over 300,000 houses and an estimated 569,251 hectares of damaged farmland, leading to the loss of food sources and income for affected households.
In response to the plight of victims of the flood and in line with our mission and vision of no poverty, we set out to bring relief and support to flood-disaster victims, especially in the southern states of Nigeria. An initiative named Operation LADDER (Laugh At Deluge, Drink, Eat, and Rejuvenate) was launched by WF and its partners to bring relief and support to flood survivors and their households.
Then, in November 2022, Whitefield Foundation was awarded a humanitarian aid grant to provide relief materials to flood disaster victims under the project Operation LADDER by The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF).
The goal of the TCCF-sponsored initiative was to provide aid to flood-affected communities in Anambra and Delta States.
The relief project was implemented over a 2-month period, engaging with relevant government agencies such as State Emergency Management Agency in Delta and Anambra State, local authorities like Local Government Chairpersons, and community leaders, with a focus on working with women leaders. The relief materials were distributed directly to the communities, ensuring that the victims and their households received them.
In Anambra State, the flood-ravaged communities in over one-third of the LGAs in the state. 5700 households (34,200 people indirectly) in 57 communities received relief materials, which included food, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) supplies, and empowerment materials.
In Delta State, the intervention was laser focused in four LGAs; Isoko South, Ughelli North, Ndokwa East, and Oshimili South. A total of 3,059 households (18,354 people indirectly) across 21 communities and villages benefited directly from the relief intervention implementation in Delta State.
The partners involved in the operation included:
- The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) provided the funding for food and WASH supplies.
- Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) provided cartons of bottled water and juice.
- Chi Pharmaceuticals Limited (Chi Pharma) supplied over-the-counter drugs, such as antimalarial, decongestants for adults and children, and multivitamins.
- Capstone Resource Center (CRC) contributed logistics and funding for cassava and rice seedlings.
- Sterling One Foundation (SOF) provided funds for the distribution of cassava stems.
- Individual donors offered logistics support and funding for seedlings.
- Anambra State Emergency Management Agency facilitated the warehousing of relief materials.
Operation LADDER provided relief to 8,759 households and 52,554 people indirectly in 78 communities and villages across 12 local government areas in the two states. The Food and WASH supplies were enough to sustain an average family of 6 individuals for 4 weeks.
In addition to the food and WASH supplies, Operation LADDER, in partnership with organizations such as the Capstone Resource Center, Sterling One Foundation, and individual donors, provided seedlings to 2,800 small-holder farmers, 80% of whom were women. The provision of 700,000 high-yield cassava stems and 100 bags of high-yield rice seedlings will also impact the community in several ways including the following;
- Cultivate a total of 490-560 acres of cassava and 100-140 acres of rice farmlands leading to the restoration of about 700 acres of farmland (Estimation)
- The cassava plantations will also yield up to 3,120-3,580 tons of cassava tubers upon harvest (with proper cultivation practice)
- Produce 5,600,000 to 8,400,000 high-yield stems for farming by the next planting season (Estimation)
EQUIP Testimonials
EQUIP 60,000 initiative gave financial funding to 1, 100 small business owners from across the 36 states of Nigeria plus the Federal Capital Territory.
The financial award ranged from N10,000, N25,000, N100,000, and N200,000.
At least 50% of the beneficiaries were women.
In all a total of 74,204 youth and women from every state in Nigeria plus the Federal Capital Territory through a combination of digital training via a web portal and Android Mobile App, and physical training in Kano communities.
The youth and women were empowered with employability, entrepreneurship, and low-tech vocational skills to enable them to rise out of poverty, stay away from vices like prostitution and crime, and become self-reliant to cater to themselves and their immediate dependents.
EQUIP 60,000 was mainly funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, Atlanta, USA. Other partners include Sterling One Foundation, MSMEAfrica, Kano State Ministry of Youth & Sports Development, Kano State Agency For Mass Education, Capstone Resource Centre, and Megalios IT Foundation.
Vocational Skills Training
The 5-Day Vocational Skill Training sponsored by Alliance For Youth Nigeria was initiated, commissioned, and implemented within a month. The Vocational Skill training was laser focused on the unemployed youth in Lagos and Kano State.
The Skill Training section for this session was
i. Beauty (Makeup, Gele Tying, Massage & Aromatherapy),
ii. Graphics Design (Social Media Management and Introduction To Web design),
iii. Solar Installation and
iv. CCTV/Cable Tv Installation.
The Training dates were August 1 to August 5, 2022, for Lagos and August 8 to August 12, 2022, in Kano.
In Lagos, training graduated 132 trainees after 5 days of intensive training. The training was held at the Capstone Resource Centre, a multipurpose event and training center located at 25 McEwen Street, Off Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos.
In Kano, the training graduated 221 trainees after the 5-Day Intensive Training. The training was held within the premises of Kano state Agency For Mass Education, No.3 Kabuga Rd., Off FCE junction, Kano, Kano state.
To further encourage the entrepreneurial spirit amongst the youth and promote self-reliance, a few outstanding and deserving trainees in the classes were empowered with tool kits.
In Total, 11 trainees were awarded toolkits to help them jumpstart the deployment of their newly acquired skills.
The breakdown is as follows: – 4 trainees in the Graphics Design shared equally across Lagos and Kano was equipped with a laptop each.
– 4 trainees in the Beauty Class shared equally across Lagos and Kano were equipped, 2 of them with Make-up Kit and 2 of them with Massage Beds.
– 2 Trainees in Solar Installation class shared equally across Lagos and Kano were equipped with a complete electrical engineer tool kit
– 1 Trainee in CCTV/Cable TV Installation Class in Kano was equipped with a complete mechanical engineer tool kit.
Whitefield Foundation is grateful for the partnership of Alliance for Youth Nigeria. The need for vocational skill training cannot be overemphasized, it is the best way to tackle the rising unemployment in Nigeria
EQUIP 60000
EQUIP 60,000 Youth & Women Empowerment Initiative
‘E.Q.U.I.P’ achieved the following with each beneficiary:
E – Educate; teach skill and empowering knowledge,
Q – Quench; quench the poverty status and mentality,
U – Upgrade; upgrade the skill and mindset of participants,
I – Illuminate; show and lead participants into new ways of economic growth and
P – Pivot; set the lives of participants on a sustainable growth trajectory.
‘E.Q.U.I.P’ was a hybrid program that combined digital and physical training and used an integrative four-level approach towards youth and women empowerment.
EQUIP officially took off in November 2021 with well-attended and highly publicized press conferences in the city of Lagos and Kano. The training continued till March 2022 and ended in April 2022 with two closing ceremonies, a physical one in Kano and a virtual one broadcasted over the internet and streamed live to all participants on YouTube and Facebook. Mentoring, monitoring and evaluation are still ongoing.
The digital training enrolled 71,992 participants from all 36 states of the federation plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. While the physical training was held in Kano communities in the high-poverty Northwest region of Nigeria with 2,212 beneficiaries.
‘E.Q.U.I.P’ was laser-focused on the youth and women (between the ages of 18yrs and 45yrs) who are unemployed and disadvantaged living in major cities otherwise known as the ‘urban poor’
The EQUIP 60000 project reached a total of 74,204 youth and women from every state in Nigeria plus the Federal Capital Territory through a combination of digital training via a web portal and Android Mobile App, and physical training in Kano communities.
Furthermore, a total of 1,100 top-performance participants were awarded seed capital grants to enable them to grow their skills and pivot their businesses.
The youth and women were empowered with employability, entrepreneurship, and low-tech vocational skills to enable them to rise out of poverty, stay away from vices like prostitution and crime, and become self-reliant to cater to themselves and their immediate dependents.
EQUIP 60,000 was mainly funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, Atlanta, USA. Other partners include Sterling One Foundation, MSMEAfrica, Kano State Ministry of Youth & Sports Development, Kano State Agency For Mass Education, Capstone Resource Centre, and Megalios IT Foundation.
Empowerment Testimonials
Testimonials of SHAPE SIP Participants
I’m happy to have participated in this program. It really helped a lot in awakening the sleeping entrepreneurial spirit in me. I can now start up something to help my husband in the family upkeep provision. Though no financial empowerment yet.
Special thanks to #whitefieldfoundation #cocacolang #shapesip
It was indeed an awesome experience that resurrected so many hidden potentials. God bless
Saying “thank you” is not enough for me to express how grateful I am for your support over the months. You are my mentor and everything I am today is because of you empowerment.
We’re grateful for the privilege to be part of this program. I’m applying the knowledge acquired and it’s working for me.. my certificate hangs with pride in my shop..
Thank you so much..
With love from Kaduna state.
Thank you somuch Whitefield Foundation and her able CEO, Pastor Funmi Johnson (Mrs) for all the knowledge and skills you have imparted upon me and the rest of my colleagues. Thanking cocacola Nigeria too for their collaboration.
Though, I made it to the graduation ceremony but wasn’t among the 50 persons that were given some certain amount of money for their business name registration, I certainly believe that the skills already learnt from you if properly monetised with consistency will make a millionaire out of me and my generation.
Thank you once again ma and may God continue to watch over you, and may His grace and mercy continue to speak for you in Jesus name.
The time spent ignited the passion to be more outstanding in whichever field you choose.
Glad to be part of the training and graduating ceremony.
Thank You Whitefieldfoundation
Thank You Coca-Cola Nigeria.
Thank You Mrs. Fummi Johnson.
Longlive Nigeria!
I’m so happy to have been part of this empowerment program, this has opened my eyes to so many opportunities lying around. I’m a proud CEO now thanks to Whitefield foundation, I’m still implementing more of what I have learnt. Thank you so much Mrs Funmi Johnson1 You’re a rare gem, God bless all you do. Thank you Coca cola Nigeria for making this possible. God bless all the people that put this together to make it worthwhile. God bless all the participants. I’m entirely Grateful.
Grateful to God for making it possible for me to know Whitefield Foundation and her CEO, Mrs Funmi Johnson. You have given me hope, life and confidence via your Money Making Skills Empowerment Program called SHAPE-SIP (SHAPE- Special Intervention Program) of which I was one of its beneficiary haven passed through your Skills and Empowerment Training from stage one to stage three and qualified for SHAPE-SIP Graduation Ceremony slated for Monday May 3, 2021 at Lagos State.
I can’t recover from the excitement, and joy it has brought upon me. And I pray for you today that God should continue to send you and your generations helpers of destiny in Jesus name!
Thank you once more for all the knowledge, skills and understanding you imparted upon me. I have never been the same ever since I head about you. God bless you ma.
God bless you ma. God bless everyone who took their time to impact the lives of the participants.
It has indeed been a wonderful journey.
I wish I could send you simple statement jewelries to say thank you. I am indeed grateful to you all.
This program is a dream come true, all the lectures has been so educative and inspiring. 10 commandments of wealth is another splendid lecture, that thought about things to say to recondition your nagative mind set about money, which means, there is power in the thung, changing your orientation and your mind set platform Will also enlighten you about self limitation. Thanks to Whitefield foundation and Mrs Funmi Johnson1 the CEO of this program, for giving me the privilege to be part of this program.
A big THANK YOU to Mrs Funmi Johnson for the great opportunity I had to be empowered by you ..I have really learn a lot from the trainings and from your videos .. U have indeed inspired me to become a seed that will thrive if well watered .. Once again thank u ma
I can successfully boast of saying i can make a perfect puff puff with shapesip training. Thank you so much ma. I’ll work toward starting my small scale business. Thank you so much for the privilege. God bless you in folds
I really want to thank Whitefield Foundation and Coca-Cola and funmi johnson for this wonderful privilege. Knowledge is key indeed, I’m forever grateful ThANK YOU for impacting in my life. I will share my testimony of this program someday I’m still a work in progress.
Congratulations to the new Ambassadors, we will meet at the top. God bless Whitefield foundation and Coca cola Nigeria.
With this I congratulate my self
Thank you #Whitefield Foundation
Thank you #Coca-Cola
Thank you #MrsfunmiJohnson
I say Godiya muke ( in Hausa) to all the facilitators
Congratulations to the selected ones, I have learnt a lot from the program , shocked I did not make the list, but glad I went through and acquired sublime knowledge worth more than gold. I say a hearty thank you to Whitefield foundation . Bravo.
I’m really grateful to God who made it possible for me to be counted as one of the SHAPE AMBASSADORS.
Mrs Funmi Johnson I won’t forget in a hurry the lessons I learnt from you.
May God bless COCA-COLA, may God bless Whitefield Foundation, and may God bless you Madam Funmi Johnson.
Congratulations to my fellow Ambassadors.
To all the participants of this program, may lines fall in pleasant places for you all in Jesus name. Amen!
The training is invaluable. May God grant us all peace
All were absolutely instructive and delivery from each facilitator was great!
However, I’ll choose Industry 4.0 anytime, any day! It remains my favourite mainly because I was hearing/learning about it for the first time.
God bless Whitefield Foundation for the opportunity!
Am so excited to have completed the general/practical sections of this stage. Indeed, it was a time well spend. I am grateful to Whitefield foundation and Coca-Cola for packaging this wonderful empowerment programme at a time like this. Thanks to you all!
What an interesting session with all the facilitators for stage two.
Infact I am in love with all the sessions. I almost wanted to ignore the soap making because I have knowledge about it but I’m happy that I stayed through, it was a sound teaching and I learnt something new.
I can’t wait to visit the market get my materials for sanitizer, soap and even bake some pie for my self and family.
Thank you Whitefield Foundation for this opportunity. I love fashion and it’s good to know that there’s a graphic tool that can help in the fashion industry, wow, I’m excited
Thanks shape sip
U all are wonderful
And so are ur lectures
The second stage lectures are wow wow wow
Thanks shape sip I’m grateful
I learnt greatly from all the lessons but I especially love the branding lesson. This is because of my interest in Graphics Design. Thank you for the experience, Whitefield Foundation.
Great news
Every session was a hit, back to back.. I literally enjoyed all and even had to keep listening over and over
Kudos whitefield foundation and Coca Cola coy.
Let me go for industry 4.0 by Mr Onuorah
All the Lectures were on point and addresses issues in their areas decisively. All the guest instructors did justice to their areas of specialisation. I was more blessed on the topics that bother on entrepreneur. Looking forward for the second phase. Thank you.
They were all inspiring, but I give it to ” help I need a job where there is no job” by Miss Onyi Eva Johnson. While securing the job for the future by Mr. Mike Onurah stole my heart, yes in industry 4.0 agenda reputable and linear job like bank teller will be replaced by robot, class room learning will be disrupted by online learning. Yet I’m still thinking on the CEO’s word that an entrepreneur sees opportunity in every difficulty as risk taking is still parts of entrepreneurship
All lessons were insightful. Industry 4.0 exposed many things to happen in years to come which has already started.
Thanks to Coca-Cola and Whitefield Foundation.
Let me quickly borrow a quote used by my favorite Facilitator, Miss Oyin Eva Johnson, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overall and looks like work.” I would have missed this opportunity, I wondered how I was going to reach the end but take a look at me now, moving to stage two.
Mr. Yemi Faseun would say “You are unfolding from your own story perspective so embrace every opportunity life offers you”, this is indeed one which life has offered me, I’ve learnt to a great extent that SUCCESS can be attained no matter how little your idea might be.
My heartfelt gratitude goes to Mrs Funmi Johnson, the entire Whitefield Foundation for bringing SHAPE SIP to me on a platter of #0.00. The teaches are top notch, timely enough for the digital era.
Thank you WHITEFIELD FOUNDATION.
Thank you COCA-COLA.
Olufunke Fapuro, Lagos
Amazing teaching sessions all through…the teachings have open my eyes of understanding to so many things am doing wrong presently in my business.
Kabiru Abdulahi Said, Kano
What I learnt will be my guidance, roadmap and gateway to success not only in business but also in life generally. Thank you plentifully for your contribution. Of course, I have learnt a lot things therefore I’m extremely overjoyed about all courses and I wish you the best and God bless you. Thanks heaps for this priceless empowerment.
Saidu Abdulahi, Maiduguri, Borno State
This course has opened my eyes and offered me the opportunity of utilising my potentials to the fullest. I was able to acquire knowledge on jobs that would thrive in future, maintaining good accounting system in an organization, and how to use the social media to boost business opportunities among many others. I suggest that Whitefield foundation should partner international organizations and keep enlightening and empowering youths and women in Nigeria and elsewhere.
I have learnt a lot from this course especially on how to prepare for interview, jobs that will thrive in the future, how to maintain good accounting system, the mindset that an entrepreneur should have, use of IT to boost business and so on and so forth.
Christianah Gideon, Ibadan, 0yo State
I learnt about writing a business plan, how to grow up a business, business and technology, knowing who I am, customer care service and many more.
Andy Jack, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
I have learnt a lot from this stage, it has changed my mindset entirely and I am eager to know more.
20,000 Women and Youth Benefit from Coca-Cola’s Special Intervention Programme (SIP)
SHAPE SIP 2020/2021 CLOSING CEREMONY
Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited in partnership with Whitefield Foundation has empowered over 20,000 individuals with business skills across the 36 states of Nigeria through the Special Intervention Program (SIP). Following the completion of the program this month, a closing ceremony was held on Monday, May 3rd.
The Special Intervention Program (SIP) is an innovative empowerment initiative developed by Whitefield Foundation and sponsored by Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited. The initiative is part of the company’s effort to improve and support the livelihood of young Nigerians following the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which hit in 2020. The SIP program, which held virtually over the course of one year, was targeted at helping youth and women younger than 45 years of age across Nigeria.
Present at the closing ceremony were key dignitaries including the Chairman of Yaba LCDA, Hon. Kayode Omiyale; Vice-Chairman Yaba LCDA, Hon. Alhaji Bolanle Aileru; Whitefield Foundation Trustee, Dr. Oladoyin Sagoe; Founder of Whitefield Foundation, Olufunmilola Johnson; Director Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe; Senior Manager, Social Impact Strategy for Africa Operating Unit, Coca-Cola, Uche Ogbonna; and Chairman of Agriculture & Agro-Allied Group, Africanfarmer Mogaji.
In his opening speech, Vice-Chairman, Yaba LCDA, Hon. Alhaji Bolanle Aileru, who represented the Chairman remarked, “I applaud Coca-Cola and Whitefield Foundation for filling a gap in our community by engaging our youths and women. It is evident that partnerships and collaborations fuel outstanding results”. He also highlighted that the turnout from the communities was truly impressive and that Coca-Cola and Whitefield Foundation both exceeded expectations.
The closing ceremony featured the recognition of the individuals who had benefited from the program. Across the 36 states, people were trained and lectured in topics covering building a successful career, jobs of the future, business as a legal entity, customer service, funding your business, IT, the business of agriculture, catering, domestic essentials, and many more.
By the end of the program on April 16, 2021, participants had completed three different stages of courses comprising over 50 AudioVisual lessons which had over 1,000,000 page views on the website. The virtual training was taught by seasoned facilitators in their respective fields.
Speaking at the event, Director, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe explained, “At Coca-Cola, we are proud of the remarkable achievements of this program. As a company, we understand that 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, but it taught us innovation and opened our hearts to more acts of kindness to upscale what we do within our communities. We recognized that unemployment rates were on the rise with the poverty rates reaching a peak, and as a socially-responsible company focused on refreshing the world, we are also committed to making a difference in the lives of people and communities”.
A beneficiary from the training, Anu Oshilaja, founder of Annyz Fabric Bags, shared her life-changing story on the impact of the program and the funding she had received to further her business. As a token of her appreciation, she gifted beautifully hand-crafted bags to the women dignitaries at the event.
Founder, Whitefield Foundation, Olufunmilola Johnson, in her closing remarks stated, “We are excited by the success of The Special Intervention Program (SIP) and this initiative was born out of the need to help make more successful people who will grow our economy in Nigeria. We are focused on addressing seven UN Sustainable Development Goals covering no poverty, gender equality, zero hunger, quality education, partnerships, economic growth, and responsible consumption and production. We appreciate Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, who deemed us worthy of achieving this feat”. She thanked all stakeholders including the government officials, the facilitators of the classes, Coca-Cola executives, and the participants.
At the end of the event, 50 individuals were announced to receive N30,000 each to fund their business registration and start creating value for themselves. The ceremony ended with immense gratitude and joy from the beneficiaries who expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited as well as Whitefield Foundation for their support.
The SIP Program was part of Coca-Cola Nigeria’s COVID-19 Intervention following the impact of the pandemic on the Nigerian economy. This intervention saw the company fund several community-based initiatives focused on aiding the economic recovery of residents from the adverse effects of the pandemic.