On 9 June 2026, the TY Danjuma Foundation, in partnership with UN Women and the ATRED Foundation, launched a mechanised cassava processing project for women in the Sheda Galadima community in Kwali Area Council, approximately 72 kilometres from Abuja.
The project aims to improve the economic wellbeing of women engaged in cassava processing by addressing challenges such as heavy manual labour, time inefficiencies, poor hygiene, and unreliable water supply. Mechanised equipment has been provided to the Akpu Women Association to enable safer, faster, and more efficient processing for the women and neighbouring communities.
It builds on existing efforts by the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat and UN Women Nigeria, with the TY Danjuma Foundation adding mechanised peeling machines to reduce manual labour and increase efficiency.
Additional support includes a borehole for reliable water supply and improved wastewater disposal systems to ensure sustainable operations.
The project is expected to benefit the Akpu Women Association and surrounding communities by reducing processing time and physical strain, improving product quality and volume, increasing incomes, and strengthening the local cassava value chain.
Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, emphasised the value of investing in rural women’s economic empowerment by providing time-saving technologies that transform labour-intensive work into profitable entrepreneurship.
Ms Hannatu Gentles, Chairman of the TY Danjuma Foundation, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to supporting initiatives that improve the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities.
“Today, we are not merely commissioning a facility; we are opening new doors of opportunity for rural women and their communities. This facility will help reduce post-harvest losses, add value to cassava production, create sustainable sources of income, and strengthen food security within this community. Most importantly, it places economic power directly into the hands of women—the true backbone of our rural economy.”
Through this initiative, the TY Danjuma Foundation reaffirms its commitment to improving livelihoods and expanding economic opportunities in underserved communities across Nigeria.
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