By Vivian Emoni
The Manager, African Girl’s Guide (AGG), Miss Sophia Okiasi, has urged young women to join the organisation and leverage opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and capacity.
Okiasi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
She said AGG was established to empower underserved African girls and young women through structured mentorship, educational support and leadership training.
According to her, the organisation seeks to ensure that every girl, regardless of her background, has the tools and support needed to realise her potential and contribute to national development.
“AGG is encouraging young women to become members of the organisation to access opportunities for skills development and personal growth.
“The opportunities will connect young women with experienced professionals and role models to navigate academic, career and personal development,” she said.
Okiasi said the organisation recently graduated 37 young women from a 12-week empowerment programme focused on building confidence, awareness and leadership skills.
She added that 10 participants received outstanding awards for their contributions and active engagement during the programme.
She said the programme encouraged participants to approach different environments with confidence and believe in their ability to achieve their goals.
Okiasi said all 37 graduates received certificates of participation, while 10 beneficiaries received outstanding awards.
She said the programme was also designed to encourage participants to share their experiences and inspire more young women to join the initiative.
She urged the award recipients to remain committed to the values they had learnt and approach future opportunities with confidence.
The manager said the awards should not be seen as the end of their responsibilities but as a call to contribute more to society.
She said government had an important role to play in promoting girls’ education, preventing early marriage and protecting young women through policies and programmes that removed barriers to their development.
Okiasi urged governments at all levels to ensure that girls had access to quality and affordable education, safe learning environments, scholarships and skills-development opportunities.
She also called for stronger enforcement of laws protecting girls from early and forced marriage, abuse, exploitation and other harmful practices.
“Government should also work closely with parents, traditional and religious leaders, schools, civil society organisations and communities to sensitise them on the importance of keeping girls in school and protecting their rights.
“Investing in girls’ education will not only improve their individual prospects but also contribute to building a more educated, productive and empowered society,” she said.
Okiasi said AGG was partnering with key institutions, including the National Orientation Agency (NOA), to raise awareness among young girls.
She said the partnerships would help young girls understand their rights, make informed decisions about their education and future, and navigate societal challenges.
Okiasi assured young women that AGG would continue supporting them as they pursued their aspirations and worked towards achieving their goals.
She said the programme was initiated by the founder of the NGO, Mr Jindu Elueze, whom she commended for creating a platform focused on empowering young women. (NAN)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu