For decades of operation in the Nigerian hospitality industry, Transcorp Hilton Abuja Hotel has become synonymous to excellence in service delivery, quality facility offerings and innovation, amid resilience.
Over the years, the Abuja-based five-star property has equally taken leisure and MICE offerings a notch higher, with many global recognitions crowning the feats.
However, the hotel recognises the place of people, including guests, staff members and host communities in its success and need to appreciate them.
The above is the rationale for its robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative tagged ‘Travel With Purpose in Hilton’, a springboard for other CSR activities.
It is under the mother CRS initiative that the hotel launched the Business Empowerment Programme for Women (BEPW) in June in partnership with ACE Charity.
The BEPW programme, which runs twice a year for six months, is aimed at empowering young women with basic sewing skills and business management trainings and thereby enabling them to gain the necessary knowledge to establish and manage their own businesses effectively and efficiently.
During the course of their training, the beneficiaries receive complimentary transportation to and from the training venue as well as feeding and trainings.
At the end of the 6-month training (which concludes with a graduation ceremony), the beneficiaries gain skills needed to start and run a successful fashion and designing business, and the brand new sewing machines they learn with are gifted to them to help kick start their businesses.
Since its inception, a total of 56 young women have been empowered with the next batch of the BEPW initiative starting in July 2025.
Some of the beneficiaries shared their stories of going from ‘nothing to business owners’.
For Happiness Zakka, BEPW 9, losing her father was painful because the loss dashed her hope of survival.
“Since I encountered this training, life has been wonderful. I feel better because I can now assist my family financially,” she said.
Again, the fashion skill afforded her the opportunity to go back to school to complete her education.
I am proud to say that I am now a graduate of Philosophy and I am really grateful that I had that opportunity,” Happiness, a BEPW 9 set, confessed.
Hauwa Adamu, a BEPW 11 set, did not waste time in taking advantage of her acquired fashion skills, as she started “Hauwee’s Collection” afterwards. Since then I have gained customers, rent a flat, buy an industrial machine, a mannequin and even cloth and feed myself comfortably,” she said.
Beyond the skills, the highlight of the empowerment initiative for Rhoda Ode, BEPW 7 set, was the business management classes, where she was taught how to manage client relationships. “I implemented this and it has helped my business grow, because of how well I relate with my customers they always refer me to their friends and family,” Rhoda said.
However, the management of the hotel expressed excitement over the impressive feats achieved so far by the beneficiaries, while promising to empower more women through the initiative.
It also insisted that hospitality business should run with human face, as it is all about making people happy, from the guests, staff members and to the host communities.
