​Nonye Soludo, Fidelity Bank Empower 2,000 Anambra Women, Children

​AWKA — In a major push for grassroots economic inclusion and community development, the wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr. Nonye Soludo, through her non-governmental organization, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, has partnered with Fidelity Bank Plc to empower nearly 2,000 women and children across the state.

​The joint intervention, executed under the “Fidelity Bank/Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Empowerment Programme,” provided critical business equipment, educational materials, cash grants, and nutritional support to exactly 1,950 beneficiaries on Saturday at the Banquet Hall of the Light House in Awka.

​Driving Financial Independence and Education

​The empowerment combined three of Fidelity Bank’s flagship social impact pillars—the Give Her Power Initiative, the Lighting Young Minds Programme, and the Fidelity Food Bank Initiative. 

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​The breakdown of the intervention items includes:

• ​100 Sewing Machines & 100 Grinding Machines: Distributed to 200 women to strengthen micro-businesses and boost household income.
• ​250 Solar-Powered School Bags: Awarded to schoolchildren to facilitate studying in areas with limited electricity and inspire academic performance.

• ​1,500 Food Bank Packs: Distributed to vulnerable individuals to alleviate immediate economic pressures and improve nutritional security.

​Beyond the hardware and supply distributions, Dr. Nonye Soludo personally donated ₦100,000 in cash grants to each of the female beneficiaries and ₦5,000 to each student to facilitate immediate enterprise takeoff and support academic needs. Furthermore, Fidelity Bank announced a massive ₦25 million financial injection to directly bolster the empowerment framework.

​”When We Invest in People, We Invest in the Future”

​Speaking at the event, Dr. Nonye Soludo emphasized that the initiative reflects the immense power of corporate-civic partnerships. She noted that because her NGO operates independently of government funding, strategic alliances with corporate bodies are crucial to driving large-scale community transformation.

​”Today, through the ‘Give Her Power Initiative’ and ‘Lighting Young Minds,’ we are not merely distributing items; we are investing in the future. Every woman and child supported represents a definitive step toward building a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous community. Our dreams are big, but our resources are insufficient, which is why partnerships like this are essential.”

— Dr. Nonye Soludo, Wife of the Anambra State Governor

​She further charged the beneficiaries to view the tools as symbols of opportunity and to become self-reliant ambassadors of positive change in their respective communities.

​Private Sector Commitment to Grassroots Development

​Representing the Managing Director/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, the bank’s Divisional Head of Brand and Communications, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, reaffirmed the institution’s unwavering dedication to gender inclusion and social responsibility.

​Nwagboh highlighted that the bank’s commitment to gender equity is evident internally, with women occupying key leadership structures within the institution, including the posts of Chairman and Managing Director.

​”Our support goes beyond words; we are taking practical steps to put economic power directly into the hands of Nigerian women and children,” Nwagboh stated. He added that since the inception of the bank’s nationwide food intervention strategy, more than 300,000 food packs have been distributed across 300 communities across all 36 states of the federation.

​The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Fidelity Bank’s Executive Director for the South Directorate, Mrs. Pamela Shodipo, who urged the beneficiaries to maintain high productivity with the assets given, reinforcing that sustainable national growth relies heavily on thriving grassroots economies.