Blooming Social Pen Trust Initiative has announced Deborah Aguinem, founder of Eabel Domain, as the inaugural winner of the Blooming Ventures Programme. The Programme supports underserved and street-involved young Nigerian entrepreneurs in the informal sector to grow their businesses into sustainable startups by offering selected ambassadors seed grants and business development mentorship. Aguinem will receive a N500,000 grant and 12 weeks of business development coaching to formalise her crocheting academy and scale its social impact across rural Nigeria.
Responding to her selection, Deborah Aguinem says:
“I’m honoured and grateful to be selected as the first Blooming Ventures Ambassador. This grant and coaching will enable Eabel Domain to reach more young people across Nigeria, providing them with skills that can transform their lives. Crochet is more than a craft—it’s a pathway to financial independence and creative entrepreneurship.”
Idea behind Eabel Domain
The Eabel Domain is a crocheting academy dedicated to teaching young Nigerian girls the art and business of crocheting, empowering them with practical, low-cost skills for entrepreneurship and creative expression. Already operational on Telegram, Selar, and Instagram, Aguinem is using her craft to contribute to the local economy of Nsukka, Nigeria, where she resides. She aims to use her crocheting academy to transform traditional craftsmanship into sustainable income opportunities for youth, especially young girls.
A strategic programme for the economic impact of underserved young entrepreneurs
The Blooming Ventures Programme replaces the previous #Street2Startup Programme. It represents a more strategic, locally nuanced approach to supporting informal startups and business ideas led by underserved and street-involved young Nigerians, with a focus on scaling and social impact. The inclusive entrepreneurship programme specifically addresses core needs for business model strengthening, financial planning, and growth strategies, in addition to providing seed funding.
As the selected Ambassador, Aguinem will be paired with Ubong Inyang, a seasoned startup coach and a 2015 Tony Elumelu Foundation entrepreneur, with a strong social entrepreneurship background. The coaching will span 12 weeks (3 months), with the N500,000 grant awarded in the sixth week to support immediate business needs and scaling opportunities.
Chimezie Anajama, founder of Blooming Social Pen Trust Initiative, says:
“Deborah’s vision, drive and commitment to The Eabel Domain exemplifies what we’re looking for when we conceived the Blooming Ventures Programme. Her commitment to improving herself, achieving her dreams and empowering young people through skill acquisition and entrepreneurship, combined with her innovative approach to teaching viable contemporary crafts, demonstrates the kind of social impact we want to support and amplify. We’re impressed by the coherence and strong social impact component of her idea, crocheting skills, quality of her products, business viability, milestone already recorded, resilience and resourcefulness, and growth potential.”
About Blooming Social Pen Trust Initiative
Blooming Social Pen Trust Initiative is a nonprofit dedicated to inclusive social development and bridging inequality through various programmes and interventions across Nigeria and Africa. Through the Blooming Ventures Programme, the nonprofit supports the entrepreneurial efforts of underserved young social entrepreneurs while nurturing innovative solutions to socio-economic challenges. This maiden edition of the Blooming Ventures Programme is fully funded by Blooming Social Pen Trust Initiative, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to sustainable, locally driven entrepreneurship development.
