IWD: NBC partners CHANCE to empower women

In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), leading consumer packaged goods company and member of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC), Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd., has partnered with Charitable Network for Community Empowerment (CHANCE) foundation, to reaffirm its commitment to women empowerment in Nigeria.
  
In an event, which took place at the University of Lagos Akoka Yaba, over 600 women and students were empowered with life skills and knowledge to enable them thrive in their businesses and careers.

There was also an outreach programme where over 100 women traders and street sweepers were provided food items. Other highlights from the event included free health screening for breast and cervical examination, blood pressure and blood sugar level checks, eye screening and free glasses, free hygiene packs for the participants.
  
In line with its theme, ‘Gender Equality for a Sustainable Tomorrow’, under the campaign, #BreakTheBias, the event brought together leading voices from the private sector who shared their perspectives and insights on how to thrive at both professional and personal endeavours.

Topics covered ranged from saving, investing and budgeting, to breast and cervical cancer awareness, gender balance and a panel discussion which explored overall strategies for driving growth for women socially and economically. 
  
Speaking during the conference, Country Legal Director, NBC, Abiodun Peters, revealed actionable tactics on how women can overcome the limits of stereotypes to attain their full potential. “It takes collective and sustained actions to have a gender equal world which will result to a society free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.
 
“We recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion at all levels of society, this is why we embark on initiatives like this to raise the bar of gender equality and support the overall empowerment of women. By contributing efforts towards women empowerment, we are able to ensure that women are given the opportunity to thrive on a level playing field in the society. So we hope that this will increase awareness around the significance of breaking gender biases.”
 
Remarking on the initiative, Founder of CHANCE, Olajumoke Saliu, said: “Gender inequality continues to plague our society. We remain committed to social impact in Nigeria, and we are truly grateful for collaborations like this as they provide an avenue for women to come together to celebrate each other and discuss the challenges women face as well as ways to navigate these problems. With support from companies like NBC, we are confident about making significant impact across our community.”