From Left: Mr. Dimeji Osingunwa, Chief Commercial Officer, Mouka; Blessing Olojo-Olayemi, First Prize Winner of N500,000, in Mouka’s Mothers’ Day online engagement; Ife Durosinmi-Etti, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Herconomy; and Tolu Olanipekun, Head of Marketing; during the presentation of cheques to the three winners of N1,000,000 in the company’s Mothers’ Day online engagement in collaboration with Herconomy, on Wednesday, 29th May 2024, at Mouka’s head office in Lagos.
For many years, Mouka has steadfastly committed to corporate social responsibility, as evidenced by its five CSR pillars: “Comfort for Children, Health Programs, Skills for Life, Disaster Relief, and Community Support.”
Under the ‘Skills for Life’ pillar, Mouka has consistently invested in scholarship and entrepreneurship programs, demonstrating its long-term dedication to empowering Nigerians to contribute to the nation’s economy.
As far back as 2019, Mouka began partnering with Herconomy (previously called AGS Tribe), Nigeria’s first Fintech company for women, dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs and professionals through financial services, capacity building, community, and opportunities. Mouka teamed up with Herconomy to present cash grants to deserving women who balance entrepreneurship and motherhood despite numerous challenges and still contribute to sustainable development growth. Coined “Mum in Business,” the first grand prize winner was Maryam Adebola-Salami, founder of Mobaby Care Nigeria, an all-natural skin and hair care solutions company for children, who won based on the consistency and uniqueness of her narrative.
In May 2024, Mouka remained committed to supporting women by presenting N1,000,000 grants to three winners of the Mothers’ Day online engagement organized by Herconomy. These grants are aimed at enhancing their businesses. The mums also went home with high-quality Mouka mattresses and pillows for healthy sleep and improved well-being, recognizing the importance of rest in their busy lives.
The three mothers, Mrs. Blessing Olojo-Olayemi, Mrs. Ogooluwa Abidemi Badmus, and Mrs. Alausa Haleemah, were meticulously chosen after a rigorous selection process. They submitted videos showcasing their remarkable ability to balance business with motherhood. This online initiative, a collaboration between Mouka and Herconomy, ensured a fair and transparent selection process, making the winners truly deserving of the grants. Mrs. Blessing Olojo-Olayemi, with the business name ‘Motale Elekogbajumo’ for food processing and packaging, emerged as the first prize winner, receiving N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira), and a hybrid mattress and pillows.
Mrs Ogooluwa Abidemi Badmus, the second prize winner and owner of the ‘Tammypartyplace’ event planning venture, smiled home with N300,000, while the third winner, Mrs. Alausa Haleemah, received N200,000 to enhance her fabric enterprise, with quality mattresses and pillows as complementary gifts.
The cash prizes and products were presented at the company’s head office in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, 29th May 2024. The winners commend Mouka for its generosity and for making it easy for them to improve their small-scale enterprises.
While receiving her prize, the overall winner, who could not hold her joy, extolled Mouka for its goodwill, saying, “I am deeply grateful to Mouka for awarding me the Mothers’ Day Mum in Business grant. This support will significantly impact my trade. Thank you for empowering and uplifting mothers.”
The second winner, who was very excited, avowed, “I am so delighted, I have never won anything like this. I am very grateful to Mouka; this gift came at the right time.” Similarly, the third beneficiary affirmed, “I appreciate Mouka for this amazing opportunity, which would boost my business. I have been using Mouka products since childhood.”
In addition to the Mum in Business initiative, Mouka supported another program targeting women called the 360 Complete Woman beauty contest. The Complete 360 Woman is an online community that supports women in attaining a sense of self-worth and purpose, thereby adding value to women by helping them become the best versions of themselves through self-awareness. This passion has created a platform, “The Complete 360 Woman Conference, for women to learn, enhance, and grow in a 360 capacity in the modern world. Mrs. Okoronkwo Esther Kosacachi emerged as Queen in this 2024 edition. Esther, a mother from Anambra State, also smiled home with a Wellbeing hybrid orthopedic mattress and pillows.
Commenting on the initiatives, Mouka’s Media and Insights Manager, Godwin Anumenechi, stated that the company intentionally supports initiatives targeted at women to bridge the societal gap created by gender bias and discrimination.
“At Mouka, we see women as a key pillar of support in every home and society. We believe in an inclusive society where women are empowered to contribute their quota to the economy in line with the 10th SGD goal of reduced inequalities”. Godwin said.