By Dipo Olowookere
Victims of flood in Benue State recently are at last in happy mood and the reason is not far-fetched, there worries may soon be over after all.
As you read this piece, Zoto, a product of Hedonmark Management Services Limited and Nigeria’s fastest mobile payment app, under its charity initiative called Zoto Smiles, has partnered with an NGO, Eagles HOPE Foundation, to give financial support and rehabilitation to them.
As a startup in Nigeria, Zoto says it believes any challenge can be met with innovation, especially when it is in the DNA.
Keeping in spirit with its DNA, Zoto, via its initiative Zoto Smiles, says it will contribute N10 every time Zoto app is used to recharge or pay bills.
By funding the relief efforts of local NGOs, donations to this fund have the potential to build stronger response capacity so that these NGOs are better equipped to face future challenges.
Money is the quickest, most effective contribution most people can make during times of disaster and Zoto believes that people and communities are intrinsically good and generous and want to come forward and help in the rehabilitation of victims of natural disasters, but they are held back due to the lack of proper avenues.
Co-founder of Zoto, Oshone Ikazoboh, while announcing this new initiative, stated that, “It is a difficult time for the flood affected people as more than 110,000 people in 24 communities including Makurdi, the state capital, had been displaced by the floods.
“With our initiative Zoto Smiles, we’ve made our donation process a community effort where every person gets chance to contribute towards community building by a simple recharge or bill payments made via Zoto App.
“We are liaising with our NGO partner to ensure quick supply of relief material. We offer condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and pray that the situation normalises soon.”
