Empowering The Girl Child For An Equitable Society.
Katherine Abayomi, Port Harcourt.
Society historically has had cases of women and girls who have encountered many Challenges and barriers, which have led to unfilled dreams and aspirations. To bridge this gap, Ketbetkache Women Development and Resource Center decided to mark the International Day of the Girl Child with this year’s theme, “GIRLS VISION FOR THE FUTURE.”
This is to demystify these assumptions and barriers in the minds of young Girls. In a dialogue session with girls drawn from four(4) schools in Port Harcourt: Government Girls secondary school Orominike, Light Bearers School, Community Secondary School Rumuduru, and Chrips Education Center.
The programme Focused on the girl Child, her Career, fears and how to engage relevant stakeholders in their communities to actualising her goals.
In an interview with Newsnowng, Linda Ntam, Project Officer at Kebtakache Women Development and Resource Center, stated that the initiative was carried out to bridge the gap these young girls face and catch them young, as the Center focuses on such matters.
“Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center decided to mark this day for the girl child. Historically, we have looked at society; women have encountered many challenges and barriers that have hindered them from achieving their goals and dreams or contributing to society. So when I look at the girl child, for the theme that is saying, girl’s vision for the future, we look at it this way, that what the barriers standing between the girl child and her vision.”
“We now find that such barriers were laid down by society, education, culture, and all sorts of challenges are standing between the girl and her future. So we decided to bring in these girls, to start coaching them, and helping them find a path for their future because the girl of today is the woman of tomorrow.”
“We decided to groom them now instead of waiting until they have grown before we start women empowerment. Looking at the Niger Delta, we have a lot of issues; women have been complaining that the environment’s challenges affect them more”.
Ntam further stated the center’s intent to continue the program and collaborate with these schools in forming a club that will further foster what has been done today.
“Initially it was just to mark the day of the girl child, but with the turnout, we are looking at forming something for the young girls. We empower women, but now it won’t be just women. It will be women and young girls. So, we are looking at developing an initiative to groom these young girls, which will launch very soon. “
The facilitator, Esther Chibuzor, the founder of Raising Young Authors, a teacher, and the Executive director of Girls Right, encourages girls to speak up and write through their pens because when they do, nobody knows, and they overcome stigmatization. She also encourages them to have a vision for the future and see themselves there.
“We empower girls who have a vision for the future because we believe that when they have a vision when they have a cause,they are bent to achieve it and not derail. So that’s why we encourage them to have a vision for the future. As long as you’re taking the proper steps towards achieving that vision, no matter how long it takes, it will come to pass, she retorted.
She further charged the girls to always stand for what she believes in no matter the challenges.
“Life itself will challenge you. Things will come your way that will want to stop you. As long as you have a vision, there’s so much that will come to stop you. But the truth is that if you allow yourself to be stopped because of these challenges, you will never get there. And so, irrespective of the challenges that come your way, one thing we encourage people to do is to hold on to their vision and be resilient, and you will surely get there. “
“Now, the truth about vision is that, or what you want to be, is not about the finances; it’s about your idea and choices. So many things will come so you will take that as a second choice. But I always tell people to hold on to their choice.”
“Now, I also told them that when you are younger, we look like our parents, our environment. But as we grow up, we look at our decisions and actions. Now, no matter the temptation, always stand by it.”
The students expressed their delight in being part of the programme.
Highlights of the event included a student from Government Girls Secondary School Orominieke Port Harcourt who was discovered during the activity session and came up with a breathtaking image showing herself as a makeup artist in under a minute. This image revealed that the girl Child has potential that should be encouraged and harnessed.
A participant from one of the schools expressed her profound gratitude to the center. She stated how it enlightened her and made her sure of herself, and she prayed for more engagements from the Organizers.
They encouraged parents to know how to manage their children/wards properly.
