NGO empowers 944,286, women, girls in Kaduna in 15 years

By Philip Yatai

 

A Kaduna-based NGO, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) says it has empowered 944,286 women and girls from 2008 to 2022 in Kaduna State.

EWEI’s Founder and Programme Director, Mrs Safiya Garba made this Known on Tuesday in a message to celebrate the NGO’s 15^th anniversary in Kaduna.

Garba said that since establishment on June 6, 2008, EWEI, a gender-based NGO, has worked tirelessly to encourage girls and women to harness their abilities to live a quality and fulfilling lives.

She said that between 2008 and 2022, the women and girls were empowered financially, educationally, politically, socially, and culturally to effectively exploit their potentials, live a quality life and contribute to national development.

She said that women and girls were empowered under ”Our Safe Spaces project; Learning Without Limit project; Economic Empowerment Partnership; We for Them project; and Educational Subsidy Programme.

Others, according to Garba, are ”Know and Say No project; Civic Education and Participation for Women”; and other online interventions among others.

She said that over the years, collective efforts, collaboration, and the belief in EWEI’s mission have become a beacon of hope and a catalyst for change in the lives of countless girls and women.

She said that the commitment of partners to EWEI’s cause has enabled the NGO to provide multi-sectoral interventions and empower women through capacity building, information dissemination, advocacy, and community service projects.

“Today marks a momentous occasion as the Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative proudly celebrates its 15-year anniversary.

“On behalf of the entire EWE family, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your unwavering support, dedication, and partnership throughout this remarkable journey of empowerment,” she said.

A virtual presentation of the achievement so far showed that the women and girls were empowered under the “Our Safe Spaces” project that supports women and girls’ survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

It added that the project also supports women and girls’ survivors of physical and economic violence and sexual exploitation with a 24/7 toll-free GBV helpline.

The report also showed that adolescent girls were equally empowered under the NGO’s “Learning Without Limit” project, which provides supplementary learning for girls across eight secondary schools within Kaduna metropolis.

It added that the project equally seeks to bridge the digital divide in adolescent girls’ access to quality education.

Under the “Economic Empowerment Partnership”, the report indicated that the NGO provided training on economic empowerment activities such as micro credit financing targeting low income or out-of-school girls and women.

“EWEI’s “We for Them “project seek to reduce sexual harassment and abuse in public places particularly motor parks and tertiary institutions.

“Our “Educational Subsidy Programme” equally provides educational subsidy support and extracurricular activities for selected girls in public secondary schools.

“Also “Know and Say No” project raises awareness about sexual and GBV as well as strengthening institutional capacities to address GBV by providing a platform for effective action towards the protection of minority rights.

“Civic Education and Participation for Women” project addresses the under-representation of women and excluded groups in the political space, giving a voice to citizens’ concerns and encouraging participatory governance,” the report indicated.

EWEI Senior Programme Officer, Ms Rachel Ogbonna, said that EWEI would continue to empower women and girls to be the best they can be and aim for excellence.

She said that the beneficiaries would be empowered through mentoring, in addition to supporting the development of social and emotional skills including self-esteem, leadership and assertiveness.

 

“EWEI will also continue to provide information and capacity building on health, politics, economic and social issues to the beneficiaries through its various programmes and information dissemination platforms,” she said.

 

Deputy Director, Female Education, Ministry for Education, Hajiya Aishatu Mohammed, commended EWEI for the laudable support, adding that the government would do everything possible to educate and empower women and girls.

 

(NAN)