CALABAR — The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) has awarded a seed grant to Grace Etim Bassey, Executive Director of Support for Girls, Boys and Women Initiative (SUGBWi), to implement a transformative grassroots initiative titled “Pepper in Every Home” in Esighi community, Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River state.
The project is part of the Intersectional Leadership Incubator Fellowship which Bassey was selected for earlier this year. According to a letter of engagement sighted by NEGROIDHAVEN and signed by Monday Osasah, Executive Director of Centre LSD, the fellowship runs from May 18 to November 19, 2025, and includes a mix of residential training, virtual learning, mentorship, and execution of a community-based pilot project. Fellows are supported with financial grants to execute their initiatives.
Bassey’s project, “Pepper in Every Home,” aims to empower 50 households in Esighi to grow pepper using organic farming methods, thereby promoting climate-smart agriculture, nutrition, household food security, and economic empowerment. Special emphasis is placed on supporting women, widows, youth, and persons with disabilities.
“This initiative is not just about growing pepper,” Bassey said in a statement. “It is about growing dignity, sustainability, and self-reliance. With the right knowledge and tools, our communities can feed themselves, earn income, and fight the impacts of climate change from the ground up.”
As part of the fellowship activities, Bassey is expected to design and implement the project, submit progress reports, and participate in an end-of-fellowship reflection session. The project will culminate in a Mini Pepper Festival to showcase the outcomes and impact of the initiative.
The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development has praised the project as a demonstration of intersectional leadership, contributing to environmental justice, resource justice, and gender equity. In its fellowship mandate, Centre LSD encourages community-based solutions that align with sustainability, social inclusion, and participatory governance.
Volunteers, sponsors, and development partners are invited to collaborate with the project to deepen its reach and replicate the model in other parts of Bakassi and beyond.
