Odita Sunday 
Josephine and Agatha Osakwe Charity Foundation lifts 20 small business owners with N5m in Onicha-Ugbo
By Odita Sunday
Twenty indigent entrepreneurs drawn from the four villages of Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State have received a total of N5 million in business grants from the Josephine and Agatha Osakwe Charity Foundation.
The beneficiaries, who received N250,000 each, emerged under the Dr. Osadebe Osakwe Birthday Youth Empowerment Awards, an initiative established to support small businesses, encourage entrepreneurship and improve livelihoods within the Onicha-Ugbo community.
The empowerment programme, which targeted beneficiaries from Agba, Ishiekpe, Ogbekenu, Ogbeobi and Umuolo, was designed to provide financial support to young entrepreneurs engaged in various trades, including catering, baking, food processing, block moulding, electrical services, laundry, recycling, agriculture and retail businesses.
The beneficiaries are:
1. Odogbo Madu Anumbo Sopuluchukwu Favor – Canopy Rentals, Agba village.
2. Chiedu Chukwunonso Miracle – Baking, Ishiekpe village
3. Onweifendi Victor Chukwuka – Block Moulding, Ishiekpe village.
4. Obi Oluchukwu Daniel – General Electricals, Ishiekpe village.
5. Okwueshi Juliet Chinonso – Food Vendor, Ishiekpe village.
6. Onoselase Awele Cynthia – Catering, Ogbekenu village.
7. Amaechi Osita – Provision Store, Ogbekenu village.
8. Udeh Sylvester Ifeanyi – Shoe Making, Ogbekenu village.
9. Maloge Favor – Fufu Processing, Ogbekenu village.
10. Ogbugo Udoka – Palm Oil Mill, Ogbekenu village.
11. Nwaoko Justina Angela – Point of Sale (POS) Business, Ogbeobi village.
12. Nwaozo Onyeisi Jefferey – Laundry Services, Ogbeobi village.
13. Dr. Dibie Justin – Optometry Practice, Ogbeobi village.
14. Iwelumo Joyce Nwabuwaele – Wines and Spirits Business, Ogbeobi village.
15. Osedume Isioma – Point of Sale (POS) Business, Ogbeobi village.
16. Chiedu Martha – Catering, Umuolo village.
17. Monye Samuel C. – Plastics Recycling, Umuolo village.
18. Osakwe Mary – Foodstuffs Business, Umuolo village.
19. Philips Emmanuel – Snail Farming, Umuolo village .
20. Anumbo Sopuluchukwu Favour – Baking, Ishiekpe village.
The foundation announced that each beneficiary would receive N250,000 to expand or strengthen their businesses, while successful applicants were directed to submit their bank account details for the disbursement of the grants.
Speaking on the initiative, the foundation said the annual empowerment programme is aimed at reducing poverty, promoting self-reliance and stimulating economic growth by supporting micro and small-scale enterprises owned by young people in the community.
The programme is the flagship birthday intervention of the Foundation’s founder, Dr. Osadebe Osakwe, a renowned Nigerian business executive with extensive experience in finance, investment, real estate and infrastructure development.
Dr. Osakwe is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He studied at the University of Lagos and attended executive programmes at Saïd Business School, London Business School, Harvard Graduate School of Design and the International School of Management, where he earned a doctorate in business-related studies.
He has held leadership positions in commercial, corporate and investment banking and currently serves as a Director of the Asaba Waterfront City Development and Management Company, a major real estate and urban development project in Delta State.
Beyond his corporate accomplishments, Dr. Osakwe is widely recognised for his philanthropic activities through the Josephine and Agatha Osakwe Charity Foundation and the J.O. Osakwe Foundation, both of which focus on poverty alleviation, youth empowerment, education and community development.
The latest intervention reinforces the Foundation’s commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs and improving the economic well-being of residents of Onicha-Ugbo through sustainable support for small businesses.
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