By Ado Ibrahim

An Abuja-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Still Water Home Ministries (SWHM) has called on institutions and well meaning individuals to redouble their efforts towards reducing poverty in the country.

Its founder and director, Evangelist Tessy Okwara, made this appeal in an exclusive inter view with Nigerian Newsday in Abuja, recently.

She said that the present poverty rate in the country, which she said was caused by a failing economy, requires a very aggressive effort from all Nigerians of good will to reverse the trend.

The NGO, which is faith based, focuses on empowering the people in the rural areas and township slums where a lot of the inhabitants live in very precarious condition.

She said, SWHM also empowers the down trodden through training in various skills and vocations. According to her, beneficiaries are thought how to make soaps, creams, assorted confectionaries, tailoring, among many other things.

Having acquired such skills, she said, they are given cash or the machines that would enable them put their skills to use in order to create wealth and be self sustaining.

Evangelist (Mrs.) Okwara said her ministry, which according to her is divinely inspired started like a vision in 1996. The persistent recurring vision, she said, spurred her to register the NGO in the year 2000.

"So far, we have donated items like sewing machines, wheel barrows and other items to the youth and the widows to help them to be self-sustaining." Evangelist (Mrs.) Okwara said.

Though the NGO is present in only nine states, Evangelist (Mrs.) Okwara expressed optimism that the ministry would soon cover the 36 of the federation, adding that the ministry plans to establish a rehabilitation centre where women of easy virtue as well as other vulnerable groups would be rehabilitated.