The South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), a non-governmental organization, has tasked girls on being ambitious, hardworking and focused notwithstanding their humble or low family background.
The SSDO’s Programme Manager for Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) II, Mr Udochukwu Egwim, gave the task during a career sensitisation for female (girl) students of Union Secondary School, Eha Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The career sensitisation, which also included donation of 108 free sanitary pads to female students and planting of trees in the school compound, was part of programme to commemorate the 2023 International Day of the Girl Child.
Egwim said that the sensitisation and gift items, which was sponsored by ActionAid Nigeria, was part of efforts to create a new consciousness among girls that they can be great and strive to achieve great heights.
According to him, a girl-child has all the potentials to do well and become a leader in her community and social space as well as their chosen profession or vocation.
“We are here to wake up the can-do spirit, spirit of industry and positive ambition of the girl child, which will positively impact on the growth and well-being of our families, communities and society in the near future,” he said.
In a lecture titled: “Climate Change Adaption Through Agroecology: Empowering Girls in Agroecology for Climate Resilience”, Dr Celestina Aga, urged the female students to embrace modern agriculture and best agro-ecological practices.
Aga, who is a Director in Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, said that modern agriculture practices hold lots of positive promises and new frontiers for young people especially girls.
“Even if you are not into direct farming in terms of tilling the land; you can engage in fish farming and animal husbandry on part time basis and earn a living from it as well as prosper greatly,” she said.
She noted that the ministry have modern farming trainings, grants and soft credit facilities a girl child can partake in and make a difference from and be wealth and famous in the near future.
In another lecture, “STEM Possibilities and Options for the Girl Child”, Mrs Ubok Ameh, challenged the students to get exposed to the opportunities in computer and internet by learning soft digital jobs to better their future career and quest in life.
Ameh, who is the Founder Uban Leathered Creative Works, urged the students not be to idle but be creative to contribute positively to their families and communities well-being through which they would gain respect from their family members.
“Add value to your life by doing something and contributing to your family and neighbourhhod so that they can respect and value you; and then, your opinion will count in every matter,” she said.
Speaking on Maintaining a Healthy Life-Style, Mrs Favour Kalu, SSDO’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer, advised the students to maintain optimal personnel and environmental hygiene everywhere in order to fight against diseases.
Kalu said: “You must maintain strict hand washing routine, keep you surrounding clean including the school, ensure your cloths are neat and decent all the time, do not smoke and do not engage in drug abuse or self medication”.
A student, Miss Divine Okolie, thanked SSDO and ActionAid Nigeria for the sensitisation, adding: “The series of lectures have exposed a lot of possibilities to me, which I will venture into soon”.
The Principal of the school, Mrs Ijeoma Eneje, thanked the non-governmental organizations for coming all the way from Enugu to locate the school and had made indelible impression that challenged the female students of her school.
The sensitisation, which included distribution of writing materials, bags and a debate competition, was themed: “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”.
