Lidia Thelema Soberekon has emerged winner of the February edition of the ‘Help the Hard Worker’ monthly competition organised by a non-governmental organisation, Princewill’s Trust for entrepreneurs, youths and Rivers residents who are engaged in micro-business ventures and all forms of hard work in Rivers State.

Miss Lidia Soberekon, a graduate of Linguistics Studies from the University of Port Harcourt, emerged the winner of the keenly contested competition for the month of February beating over 3,000 other contestants who participated in the competition.

Receiving the cash prize of N100,000 at the Rumuoikini Central market where she runs her food business popularly called ‘Mama Put’, the very elated Lidia who is also the first female winner of the competition thanked the Princewill’s Trust for the gesture which she noted came at a time she was in need of funds to upgrade her business.

The Kalabari-born Linguistics graduate turned food vendor further noted that it has always been her dream and desire to own a restaurant for native Rivers foods and delicacies as a business, hence her venture into it last year to not only fend for herself but to also create jobs.

She therefore called on youths in the state to be creative, endeavor to engage themselves in productive activities and not to wait for white collar jobs which are not as available anymore.

Also on ground to receive the team from Princewill’s Trust was Mr. Chima Chukwu the Youth Leader of Rumuikini who thanked the Trust for recognising and picking a resident of their community as the winner of such a laudable programme aimed at assisting small scale business to grow.

He further noted that he was going to spread the good news all over the community and also encourage the indigenes and non-indigenes alike to participate fully in future editions of the competition which he described as real.

Speaking on behalf of the Princewills Trust, Bar. Ken Sarowiyo, stated that the aim of the Trust is to contribute to the economic development of Rivers State and called on the winner to make judicious use of the money in upgrading her business.

He noted that it was very apt that a woman had finally won the competition and had done so courtesy of a Mama Put now that the word ‘Mama Put’ has been formally recognised by the Oxford English Dictionary and Google.

He reiterated that Princewills Trust has a special place for the voiceless and encouraged more women, more youths and the disabled to enter the contest.