300 OUT OF SCHOOL GIRLS EMPOWERED

RECENT study shows that the number of children and adolescents who are out of school is on the rise. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) figures show that 1 in 11 children is out of school. Incidentally, girls are the most affected. Nigeria, with 10.5million out-of-school children, amounting to 47% of the total global figure, has the highest number.

With almost 70per cent of Nigeria’s population living below the poverty line, girls are often at the receiving end, as they are sent to work in the markets or hawk wares on the streets. To break this cycle, Lagos State government in collaboration with Action Health Incorporated, Ford Foundation and UNFPA have empowered over 300 out-of-school girls with entrepreneurial skills. The girls, who were drawn from three Lagos slum communities, namely; Ojo, Ijora-Badia and Makoko Iwaya were empowered with skills such as Catering, Make-up/ GeleTying, Bead-making, Soap/Pomade Making, Hair Dressing and Tailoring.

The beneficiaries could not hide their joy, as each of them apart from receiving their certificates also got Start-Off Equipments, courtesy, Lagos State government and their partners. Damilola Ayeni of Sari-Iganmu, a beneficiary who learnt bead-making, said she intends to start work with it and begin to make money immediately, while Adijat Sanni of Otto, who got empowered with catering skills could not hide her feelings, when she said “I can’t wait to start my own business and start making money to assist my younger ones.”

Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande said the programme conforms with the vision for Lagos State by 2025 as stated in the state’s Development Plan, with focus on mobilising resources to maximise the potentials of out-of-school adolescent girls, especially in the slum communities. She said the programme will be replicated in other slummy areas of the state.

Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated (AHI), Mrs Adenike Esiet said the programme aims to improve the girls’ sexual and reproductive health and increase their income generation potentials as well as promote their willpower to contribute to change in the society.