NAN-H-76
Inauguration
Mangu (Plateau) July 14, 2017 (NAN) The United Nations and Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS), an NGO, are targeting 400 schoolgirls for empowerment on peace and mentoring through clubs in secondary schools in Plateau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight clubs have been inaugurated in Riyom and Mangu local government areas as Girls Empowerment and Mentoring Scheme (GEMS) to reach out to girls in other secondary schools in the state and beyond.
Some of the schools which benefited from the NGO’s gesture included Government Secondary School (GSS) Langai, GSS Bwolgwang, GSS Mangu and GSS Mangu Halle in Riyom Local Government.
The NGO had selected 400 women who would in turn train 2,000 women on Peace and Security Network in the state.
Inaugurating the club at GSS Mangu, Ms Suchet Musa, CWEENS’ Project Manager, explained that “the objective of the Girls Peace Clubs is to empower the young girls at the grassroots by building their confidence.
“It is also aimed at catching them young by enabling them to develop their potentials and aspire to become leaders, change agents and and peace builders in their communities and society at large.
“The clubs are expected to have 50 students each that will be trained on peace building skills, leadership and negotiating skills, conflict management, volunteerism and community relations.
“We will also enlighten them on the importance of the girl child staying in school and completing her education, consequences and how to avoid teenage pregnancy, gauging life skills, debate and sports. ’’
Musa said already 16 teachers in the eight schools had undergone an intensive capacity building training on how to set up and run the GEMS in the targeted schools.
The project manager further explained that “the girls we are inaugurating today are leaders of tomorrow, who will make a difference in our country, as the saying goes, `building a woman is building a nation”.
According to her “we believe these girls will grow up into responsible women, mothers, citizens and nation builders in respective fields,professions and capacities’’.
Responding, Mrs Sylvia Nyamtu, Principal, GSS Mangu, expressed happiness with the setting up of the club in the school, adding that it was “very encouraging and laudable hope raiser’’.
Represented by Mr Bala Ali, Head of Department of Science, Nyamtu said CWEENS had brought life to GSS Mangu by inaugurating the scheme as a good foundation to build upon.
“We shall give the club/scheme our support 100 per cent and ensure that our girls become good ambassadors of this school wherever they found themselves and in which ever field of discipline, ’’ Nyamtu pledged. (NAN)
TYC/IA
(Edited by Idris Abdulrahman)