By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – A Non-governmental organization (NGO) christened Paradise Mission for Widows and Teenage Girls, has said in line with the theme of the 2024 International Women’s Day, titled: “Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress”, the organization will be empowering women and girls with seedlings and educate them on farming to boost their financial level in the agricultural sector.
The charity organization said the women’s gender rather than depending on others to survive especially when they lose their husbands should be educated in any skill acquisition program to be able to sustain their children.
Amb. Jane Egbo, President of the NGO, who spoke to our correspondent on Friday in a telephone conversation from America, said Paradise Mission has been in the forefront of empowering widows, women and girls over the years by sending them to school to acquire education because education is power, she said.
“Our focus this year going forward is to ensure that more women and girls are literate on any skill. Literacy does not necessarily mean going to school. One can be literate in any enterprise or field.
“After training them on skill acquisition we give them starter packs to start up what they have learnt. The aim is to teach them how to fish rather than give them fish.
“For us education is a priority especially for the girl child and now we have extended it to the boys.
“In agriculture, this time we are giving them seedlings to plant as well as training them on how to save their money, which is also financial literacy.
“We want to lift them above poverty level. We want them to have something to do and not to be beggars”, She said.
Egbo added that on the 12th of March, at the United Nations office in America, five women will be honored for their outstanding role in empowering women.
She said amongst the awardees, two are from Plateau State, one from Rivers State and the remaining two are women from other countries.
However, the United Nations have said achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if the world wants to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet.
“However, we are facing a key challenge, which is the alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030”, the UN said.
