Abuja, Oct. 14, 2025 (NAN) The Alice Wanny Development Foundation (AWDF) has honoured three prominent Nigerians for their outstanding contributions to gender advocacy, inclusion, and national development.
The awards were presented during an event in Abuja to mark the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated globally under the theme: “The girl I am, the change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crises.”
Prof. Samson Duna, Director-General of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), received the Distinguished Leadership Award in Gender Equity, Innovation, and National Development.
Duna was recognised for his role in promoting gender inclusion in the construction industry through AWDF-led training programmes.
Ms Owan Alice Ada, AWDF Founder and CEO, said Duna’s collaboration has helped train girls in areas like tiling, POP, painting, and flooring—skills rarely associated with women.
“This is more than training. It is a movement to change mindsets and break stereotypes,” Duna told newsmen, after receiving his award.
Also honoured was Dr. Nguumbur Lovette Ononuga, Director at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Founder of the Gift Lupus Foundation.
She received the Exemplary Leadership Award in Gender Advocacy and Nation Building.
Ononuga was celebrated for her visionary leadership, tireless commitment to gender equity, and work with the FIRS–UNDP Gender Equality Committee.
AWDF praised her efforts in empowering women and promoting a more just, inclusive society.
Mrs Inna Binta Audu, Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Office of the Vice President, also received an Award of Excellence.
She was honoured for her dedication to inclusive education, humanitarian response, and advocacy for basic infrastructure in schools.
“Many girls stay home during their periods because schools lack toilets,” Audu said. “We must solve these silent crises.”
Earlier, AWDF trained over 500 girls in vocational and entrepreneurial skills. The training covered construction safety, tiling, and business development.
The foundation also launched a new book, From Gloominess to Strength, inspired by Owan’s mother, who was denied education due to her gender.
“Her dream of becoming a nurse was crushed, not by poverty, but because she was a girl,” Owan said.
The event also marked the launch of the Pan-African Women Leadership Academy (PAWLA), which offers scholarships to children from vulnerable communities.
Owan said no fewer than 20 children have already benefited, with plans to expand across states and the FCT.
“Even in crisis, the light of the girl-child must never be dimmed,” she said.
She called on governments, development partners, and the private sector to collaborate in reaching more girls nationwide.
Students who participated in the training shared how it opened new career paths and inspired confidence.
Some performed poetry titled “From Crisis to the Classroom,” celebrating the resilience and potential of the Nigerian girl-child.(NAN)
