About thirty Market women in Ekpan and Jakpa Road in Warri, Delta State, have benefitted from cash gifts of N500,000 each by the Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation to support and expand their businesses.
This was part of the activities marking the birthday celebration of the EMT founder, Mrs. Esther Tonlagha.
Also, the Foundation extended its humanitarian support to 200 sickle cell warriors, granting each beneficiary the sum of ₦100,000, amounting to ₦20 million.
The presentation was held at Central Hospital, Warri, during a special programme organised to celebrate and encourage children living with sickle cell disorders.
Choosing impact over extravagance, Mrs. Tonlagha celebrated her special week in a way that truly resonated with grassroots women — those whose daily resilience fuels the local economy.
The foundation’s team embarked on a market-to-market outreach, moving from stall to stall across both locations. Aside the 30 people that received cash if N500,000, each trader received a calculator — a vital business tool — along with cash meant to strengthen their daily transactions and ease financial pressure.
In her remarks, Mrs. Tonlagha thanked God for life and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate with the children. She urged the warriors to remain strong in faith and to adhere strictly to medical advice, noting that proper care is essential to their wellbeing.
She explained that the Foundation was created to provide young people with the support, training, and financial assistance needed to build sustainable livelihoods, noting that many young entrepreneurs have innovative ideas but lack the capital to turn them into viable ventures.
The empowerment programme, she emphasized, aims to give young adults the opportunity to implement promising business concepts or expand existing enterprises limited by inadequate resources, reaffirming that the Foundation remains committed to investing in the ambition and potential of youths across the region.
The outreach continued at the smaller market near the License Office on Jakpa Road, where no trader was left out. Emotions ran high as beneficiaries expressed their gratitude through songs, prayers, and heartfelt appreciation. Many described the support as timely, thoughtful, and deeply impactful.
One of the beneficiaries, Onochie Dumebi Elvis, expressed appreciation to EMT Foundation for the kind gesture.
He said, “I am one of the students who was empowered for the small scale business program. It’s really impressive and it’s a very huge something. This is not small, and at least for someone who is starting a small scale business, this is a strength and I believe it will boost everything I am going to do in my business,
“it will help my business, and it will give me all the energy I deserve. So I want to say thank you very much ma, God bless you, may you never lack, may things go well for you and your family, may you live long to see every of your children grow in peace and unity. Thank you very much once again Mrs. Esther Matthew Tonlagha” he stated.
At the General Hospital Warri, Mrs. Tonlagha received a warm welcome from the children and their families upon arrival. Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Matron Ese Omegwe expressed appreciation to the EMT Foundation for its ongoing support for sickle cell warriors.
As part of additional support, the EMT Foundation distributed branded gift bags, and essential medications. The gesture was received with joy by the recipients and their families.
One of the beneficiaries, Alero Excel Efi, described her selection as a life-changing opportunity. She recounted how she came across the programme unexpectedly and expressed deep appreciation for what she described as a transparent and impactful initiative.
Mrs. Tonlagha assured that the Foundation will continue to widen its reach, with plans to enable more young people to create opportunities, scale up their businesses, and contribute meaningfully to community development in the years ahead.
