“There is no family in Bende that has not felt his touch” — Beneficiaries weep, pray as 100 bikes, buses and 5,000 bags of rice change lives
On a Friday many in Bende will tell their children about, Princess Hotels in Igbere became more than a venue. It became where hardship met hope.
Thousands came from Uzoakoli, Ugwueke, Alayi and villages across Bende Local Government Area for the Chima Anyaso Foundation Mega Empowerment Program. By sunset, 100 young men had keys to motorcycles, farmers had buses for their harvest, mothers had bags of rice, and a community had a story it refuses to forget.
“Chima Anyaso’s commitment to empowering the people of Bende is second to none,” said Ngozi Okogbue, a beneficiary from Uzoakoli, her voice breaking. “There is no family in Bende that has not benefited from this extraordinary angel in human form.”
For Okebe John from Ugwueke, the memory is still fresh.
“I remember how we all turned out on that Friday in 2018,” he said. “People were singing. People were praying. We had heard promises before, but this was different. This was real.”
Organizers described it as one of the largest private charitable interventions ever held in Abia State. The goal was urgent: tackle unemployment, fix poor rural mobility, reduce post-harvest losses, and put food on tables before Christmas.
Foundation officials said the program rested on four pillars: jobs for youth, better rural transport, support for agriculture, and stronger community institutions.
“These communities are agrarian and largely rural,” a representative said. “Our goal is to put tools directly in the hands of young people and farmers so they can earn, move goods, and feed their families.”
The tools arrived.
-100 Motorcycles, went to young men. For many it was their first business. In Bende, okada is how people get to the market, hospital, and church. Those bikes meant income, school fees, and dignity.
– 10 Mini Buses, were given to move farm produce, cutting losses that had broken farmers for years.
– 20 Toyota Sienna Vans, were deployed for interstate travel, opening new trade routes.
– Cars, were presented to traditional rulers, community leaders, and security agencies to support administration and safety.
The Foundation said the motorcycles alone created 100 direct jobs on day one.
While engines were tested outside, inside mothers stood in long, patient lines.
The Foundation distributed 5,000 Bags of Rice, 10,000 Cartons of Noodles, 1,000 Cartons of Tomato Paste, 500 Twenty-Liter Gallons of Vegetable Oil, and other essentials.
“I have not bought rice like this in a long time,” one woman whispered. “My children will eat well this season.”
For organizers, the food was more than relief. It was respect. It was a promise that no one would be forgotten during the holidays.
What touched people most was how it was done.
“Chima Desmond Anyaso did all this with his personal resources,” a community member said. “No government contracts. His businesses can be traced. That is why we trust him.”
At the time, Anyaso was the Labour Party’s candidate for the Federal House of Representatives for Bende.
Leaders praised the program for both immediate relief and long-term change: stronger transport, a healthier farm economy, and young people with reason to stay and build.
As the sun set, people left Igbere differently. Some carried rice. Some rode new motorcycles. All carried hope.
In Bende today, when you ask about that Friday, they don’t talk politics. They talk about a man who showed up, and a day that changed lives.
