Over 500 persons have benefitted from the empowerment programme of Betterlife Feeders Agricultural Cooperative Investment and Credit Society Limited in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The beneficiaries were given items such as rice, garri, groundnut oil, meat, toiletries and cosmetics worth over N40,000 each person at the office of the company in old Aba Road.
International Co-ordinator of the group, Engr. Olaniyi Animashaun, said the co-operative venture is a strategy aimed at alleviating poverty, financial stress and food scarcity.
According to Animashaun, the beneficiaries contributed N18,000 each within four months and got items valued at over N40,000.
The international co-ordiantor explained:  “we try to run food programme by which we bring money together to buy in bulk, remove middlemen and at highly reduced price compared to when one buys individually in small quantity at retail price”.
He urged Nigerians to approach the strategy of co-operative especially in this era of economic recession, stressing that co-operative spirit has numerous benefits for members to enjoy.
Animashaun said apart from food items, members equally enjoy skills acquisition where professionals train them on fish farming, snail farming, mushroom technology as well as soap making, cosmetics and numerous items to uplift their economic standard.
He disclosed that last year, some members were taken to Ghana on overseas training and that the co-operative plans to sponsor some members to Europe and America this year.
Excited members told The Tide that the co-operative has been of so much help to them and has reduced the negative effects of the harsh economy.

Chris Oluoh