The Canadian government in collaboration with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) and the Bauchi state government, has joined forces to back 294 small-scale businesses and institute 590 saving groups spanning seven Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Bauchi state.
The collaboration birthed a five-year initiative, named Women’s Empowerment and Youth Entrepreneurship (WAY), which received funding totalling $15 million from the Canadian government, with an additional $1.1 million contributed by MEDA and the Bauchi state government amounting to over $16 million in total.
The project is aimed to boost business performance and foster a favourable environment for businesses led by women and youth. It concluded recently after a seven-year duration.
According to Lydia John Shehu, Director General of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), MEDA is a significant development partner, making impactful contributions to the socioeconomic development of the state.
What the WAY initiative achieved
- Nairametrics learns that The WAY initiative played a pivotal role in supporting small businesses and fostering entrepreneurship by delivering over 9,000 agro-processing technologies.
- The project also concentrated on elevating the contributions of businesses led by women and youths, thereby supporting economic growth and facilitating inter-community trade in value-chain goods such as rice, beans, soybeans, groundnuts, and oils.
- The program extended its impact to seven LGAs in Bauchi State, including Bauchi, Toro, Warji, Ganjuwa, Jama’are, Dass, and Katagum.
- Over three years, the 590 saving groups generated over ₦700 million, which was reinvested in their enterprises.
- The initiative provided support to 17,861 individuals and businesses, resulting in the creation and sustenance of 79 jobs.
Previous impact 
MEDA’s impact across the 7 LGAs includes the mobilization of over N1 billion in savings by rural women and youth-led businesses from 443 communities.
In 2021, the Committee facilitated the planting of 9,500 trees in the seven LGAs where MEDA operates, effectively addressing the escalating threat of drought and desertification.
MEDA also collaborated with the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW) to train and equip over 100 youth in seedling production.
