By Adadareporters
A charity group, Hope For African Children (HFAC), Friday, empowered over 500 girls in Enugu State with skills to enable them to contribute positively to community development.
The empowerment occurred during a ‘Girls Dare to Lead Summit’ organised by HFAC to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child in Enugu.
HFAC’s chief executive, Mr Noel Alumona, said the initiative was to empower young girls for their own good and that of society at large.
Alumona said the organisation was celebrating more than 500 young girls drawn from 32 secondary schools within the state.
According to him, HFAC was committed to empowering girls to lead, providing them with the tools, resources they need to succeed; inspiring them to become leaders of both today and tomorrow, adding that, “At HFAC, we believe that every girl deserves the opportunity to reach her full potential by ensuring that girls and young people with disabilities are not left behind through inclusion, education, equal play and opportunities.
“We are preparing girls to lead in every sphere of their lives before and after 18. We thank our staff and volunteers who show up every day to make this happen.
“We are also here to inspire, educate, and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to reach those aspirations and to pursue their dreams with unwavering confidence.’’
He said one of the highlights of the summit was the Girls Innovate Prize by HFAC. The competition, according to him, was conceptualised to foster creativity, problem-solving and leadership among the young girls.
He said that by encouraging young girls to identify problems in their schools and communities and develop innovative solutions, HFAC would have empowered them to become change-makers and agents of positive transformation.
In his words, “We are also unveiling ‘Girls Dare to Lead Bootcamp’, a leadership development programme designed to amplify the agency of girls and help them see themselves as leaders.
“We believe that by equipping girls with the necessary leadership skills, knowledge, and opportunities, we can inspire them to lead boldly and make a difference in their communities.’’
Alumona further explained that the organisation unveiled “The PadHER Project,” an initiative aimed at addressing critical issue of period poverty in Nigeria.
He said the millions of girls across the country missed school every month due to their lack of access to sanitary pads, saying that the project sought to bridge this gap by advocating for government support to provide free sanitary pads and safe spaces for girls in schools.
“By ensuring that girls have access to menstrual hygiene products, we are making sure that they stay in school and continue their education without the fear of being stained.
“Also investing in their education, empowerment and wellbeing, we are investing in the future of Nigeria.
“This is why I am using this opportunity to call on the government, beginning with our own Enugu State, to prioritise the needs of the girl child,” he said.
Speaking, Ngozi Enih, Enugu State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, advised girls to speak up.
She said, “Stand strong against societal vices, like premarital sex, early marriage, peer pressure, cultism and any behaviour that seeks to undermine your potential,” she advised.
A student, Angel Okwudili, from Raymond College Abakpa, Enugu, said she felt very excited about the programme.
“I learnt that as a girl I should not miss school because of period.”
Our correspondent reports that the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child, which is marked every 11 October, has the theme, “Girls’ Vision for the Future.”
This year’s theme conveys the need for urgent action and persistent hope, driven by the power of girls’ voices and vision for the future.
On 19 December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare 11 October as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
