After years as a primary school teacher, I resigned and became a full-home farmer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I met with Ambassador Godwin Akandu from Rivers State, a service provider, who introduced me to PIND, and I received training on cultivating oil palm. I then started planning oil palm and other plants like okra, cassava, and groundnut. However, I needed more capital to set up a palm oil mill. PIND brought business consultants who trained us to manage our businesses and funds. I and some others in my community became beneficiaries of a CBN loan. We set up a palm oil mill in Ahoda West as a group, all thanks to PIND.
I am well-known in my community for farming. I am also a nursery operator. When people buy seeds from me, they contract me to help set up their farms. PIND’s training equipped me with the skills to become a farm manager and get paid for it. I have been doing so well that I manage farms in Rivers and Bayelsa States. PIND also trained me in peacebuilding and conflict management. When I consult in a community, I find out what structures are in place to manage conflicts to ensure that the farms I work on are safe and free from there. I am also very passionate about women’s empowerment and inclusion. On my farms, I endeavor to employ women and pay them a daily wage.
