The APPEALS Project has played a pivotal role in promoting social inclusion by dedicating at least 5% of the total number of its Women and Youth Empowrment Programme (WYEP) beneficiaries to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) So far, the project has empowered a total of 650 Persons With Disabilities across the six participating states.
Salawu Sunday is a Person With Disability (PWD) beneficiary in Kogi State, trained and empowered under the poultry poduction (broiler) segment.
“I worked as a barber until an accident left me with a disability. I felt hopeless and uncertain about my future. One day, I heard about the APPEALS Project on radio. With some scepticism, I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I received empowerment in the form of 750 chicks, along with valuable training from the APPEALS Project. With determination and the knowledge gained, I successfully tended to the chicks and sold them at maturity for a total of Two Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira.”
Encouraged by his initial success, Salawu continued with the production cycle and restocked 800 chicks. According to him, despite facing challenges along the way, he sold them for about Two Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira. This consistent progress allowed him to expand his venture.
“Today, I do not only run a successful poultry business but have also ventured into the block industry and established a shop in front of my house. I’ve used the profits to diversify my income streams and provided my wife with a startup capital for her own business. The project has not only empowered me but also enabled me to empower others who were once struggling on the streets. I have employed four people.”