NWANYỊ BÙ ÍFÉ:
Celebrating International Women's Day
March 8th is globally know as the International Women's Day (IWD); a day designated to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women, past and present.
It is a focal point in the movement for women's rights, as well as a day for a global call to action demanding gender parity in the role of women in the society.
In commemoration of this year's #InternationalWomensDay celebration, a coalition of partner organizations is running a digital campaign with the theme: "NWANYỊ BÙ ÍFÉ."
Nwanyị bù ífé is an Igbo phrase that translates to: "A Woman Is Valuable."
The focus of the campaign is to identify, celebrate and amplify the visibility of Igbo Women who are innovative, phenomenal and are selflessly enhancing the well-being of people in their community and beyond.
Igbo women are universally acknowledged for their display of exceptional bravery, unity and excellence in all spheres of lives: academia, business and commerce, public service, religion, STEM, creative and literary arts etc.
Based on historical precedence - from Aba women's riot, Flora Nwapa's advocacy for children, widows & survivors of the Biafran war, and to the present day, the contemporary Igbo women, have continued to break boundaries, shatter glass ceilings and chart new courses, in the face of daunting challenges.
Join us today, to celebrate these 20 illustrious Igbo women who are the true definition of "Nwanyị bù ífé."🤭🤭🤭
NGUZO OGBODO
Nguzo Ogbodo is a corporate lawyer, activist, and the founder of Hope and Dreams Initiative; a Non-profit Governmental Organization dedicated to providing books to children in underserved communities in order to change the poor reading culture, transform the educational experience and impact the future leaders. She has fought to expand access to safe sanitation, clean water, and menstrual products through the creation of WASH reading rooms (libraries) in schools that provide menstrual hygiene education for Nigerian girls to help/encourage them to stay in school. She is currently working on a menstrual hygiene book that will be culturally and age-appropriate and is also working on the production of a reusable menstrual product that will be sustainable for every menstruating girl in Nigeria and Africa.
Nguzo Ogbodo was among the Waislitz Global Citizens top ten finalists for her tremendous innovative ways of fighting to build a broad movement for gender equality for schools in Nigeria. WIA also selected her for a Deloitte Mentorship Program for her work on WASH in schools and menstrual hygiene education, where she will present her work at the WIA 2020 summit in Marrakech.
HER STORY🤔
Nguzo Ogbodo in 2010 founded the Hope and Dreams Initiative while visiting Nigeria. Her then six-year-old daughter, an avid reader, requested that she be taken to a children’s library as it is the tradition in her household to visit a library every Saturday.
When she told her that it was not possible because there were no children’s libraries around, she said: “Mummy why don’t you raise money and build one for the children of this community and I will invite Michelle Obama to come.”
Nguzo then realized that a serious injustice was taking place in her country and decided to correct it by starting the Hope and Dreams Initiative.
She believes that everyone deserves an opportunity in life and the best ways to eradicate poverty is an opportunity of education for every young Nigerian girl, which will equip her with all the necessary leadership skills enabling her to take up her space in the society. Instagram- nguzoogbodo
Twitter- @hopedreams_org
AMARACHI ATTAMA is the founder of ỌJA Cultural Development Initiative, which started as a response to the United Nations prediction of possible extinction of the Igbo language.
She is also the Executive Director of “Nwadioramma Concept” which is the umbrella housing her creative business concepts, the current Vice Chairperson of Association of Nigerian Authors Enugu state, a performing poet, a broadcaster, an author, and an active promoter of African and Igbo culture; a passion which she willingly gave up her job as a presenter with the Enugu State Broadcasting Service.
Trained by the British Council as a certified festival manager and a participant in the European Festival Association for the Atelier for Festival Managers at Johannesburg South Africa, Amarachi, through her advocacy for language made it to the West African language conference in Ghana to present her very first academic paper. With four literary titles to her name, Amarachi fondly called Nwadioramma has done over 100 performances on many platforms some of which are: TEDx, British Council Creative Hustle and countless schools in relation to her work and language advocacy.
Amarachi also runs a children language theatre where kids are groomed in the way of African languages and cultural values and has received awards for her tireless works in Igbo language, cultural promotion, and service to humanity.
She was invited by the Royal National Theatre of the United Kingdom to play a role in its classic production #ThreeSisters, which premiered to a larger theatre audience in about 50 shows. She believes in awakening the consciousness of parents and children on the need to speak their indigenous language and resurrect our dead ethical values and Igbo cultures and is raising other young language advocates through her works.
HER STORY🤔
Amarachi was born in the Northern part of Nigeria, where she grew up amongst people that owned and appreciated their culture. While growing up, she never saw a northern child that wasn't fluent in their indigenous language be it Hausa, Gwari, Nupe and so on for not only did they speak their language fluently but they were also proud of their local food and dressing.
However, on her return to the east, she noticed that it was different in that, most Igbos were not even proud of their native names. This got her worried and made her resolve to end the negative trend of Igbos denying their culture by bringing it to consciousness.
During her NYSC, she published her first Igbo collection in 2007. Also, it was during that period she met the literary icon Professor Anezi Okoro who encouraged her to begin something in Igbo despite her challenges at speaking and writing the Igbo language- a language she failed in her Senior School Certificate Examinations. Being motivated by him, she decided to dress in Igbo attires, make Igbo hairstyles and began to think of ways to display her craft and poetry on stage. The display got a good response! and this made her go to secondary schools talking to students, teachers and parents creating more awareness about Igbo language and culture, persuading them to speak the Igbo language and so on.
From there, she got the inspiration to organize festivals where schools make presentations and cultural displays in Igbo language. She then published a collection of poems which are been rendered by students. This action made people gradually come around and get involved in what she does.
Instagram- Amarachi_attamah
Twitter- @amarachiattamah (Nwadioranma)
AMUZIE ROSE IHUDIYA is a first class graduate of Sociology from Covenant University, Ota. She is a SDGs 4 (Quality Education) advocate and the Founder of b2schproject; a project aimed at providing educational opportunities to children in Ajegunle. In June 2019, she had a community project “Love in a bag” which was an initiative of b2schproject which involved the distribution of 60 supplies to children. The school is in partnership with African Clean Initiative which uses plastic recyclables to pay for underprivileged children’s educational projects in order to enable parents to support their children to school using plastic recyclables.
Amuzie Rose Ihudiya is currently working with Isrina School as an administrator and has contributed immensely in ensuring that children in Isrina School have access to Quality Education. She seeks to have continuous collaboration with platforms such as NGOs, Civil societies and the Government to aid her passion in obtaining access to educational opportunities for a better future for the underprivileged children.
She is just 20 years old!😬
HER STORY🤔
Rose grew up in Ajegunle and had no access to quality education till she met with a kind benefactor who sponsored her education in Covenant University where she graduated with a first class. With the misconception people have of Ajegunle- it being filled with rascals, people without hope and future, she decided to correct that notion and with her passion for education she started making radical changes with education in Ajegunle Lagos, by encouraging parents to use plastics to enroll their children in school she runs with her sister, Grace.
Instagram- _Ihudiya
AZUKA OKEKE is the Regional Director of Africa Resource Center (ARC) which is an independent strategic advisor promoting collaboration to help countries achieve their health goals. She oversees supply chain transformation projects in several African countries with a key focus on Nigeria.
She is an expert in engaging governments and is currently serving as a partner and advisor to National Ministries of Health in Africa. She is a leader in facilitating private sector collaborations with the public sector and has done this on platforms such as the World Economic Forum. Currently, she has pioneered the setting up of a supply chain membership platform for the private sector spending for public health, which has strengthened private sector spending for public health platform for the private sector spending for public health, which has strengthened private sector spending for public health. With over fifteen years of experience working on several international and local development projects, she has successfully supported the institutionalization of sustainable solutions in public health delivery in Nigeria.
Azuka Okeke is extraordinarily talented in coordinating and managing high performing teams to deliver quality sustainable programs by utilizing excellent strategic planning techniques and strong communication skills to ensure projects are delivered on time and within specified budgetary allocation.
HER STORY 🤔
I started my career as a pharmacist in the year 2000 and for 7 years I've delved into various pharmacy career paths (hospital, community, marketing). In 2008, I joined the supply chain management profession and this was based on my desire to impact public health particularly in the area of management of HIV/AIDS disease. Public health became my passion; a passion which led me to the UK to get a master’s degree in. I came back to Nigeria and focused on supporting the country in improving investments in the health of the citizens, advocating for reduced dependency on foreign aids. My effort has been in advocating for mechanisms that will address the health of vulnerable women and children in the country.
My focus on improving the wellbeing of women and children has led me to set up strategies as a Director which strives to address gaps in immunization, family planning uptake and eliminating malaria. In my various capacities I have seen a major improvement in strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for public health by indigenous corporate companies. My role has also inspired Universities in Nigeria to set up supply chain management degrees in the country. This will ensure that jobs which typically were imported into the country will now be created for several youths in Nigeria. I have also inspired many women to join the profession which is seen in the number of women enrolling in the MIT Supply Chain programme from Nigeria. I am delighted to see Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra be one of the pioneers of the Supply Chain Master’s degree in Nigeria following my belief that charity begins at home.
As part of her social impact programs, Azuka recently led a team that raised money and refurbished significant infrastructure in a secondary school in Enugu, including classrooms, living quarters and dining rooms.
LinkedIn- Azuka Okeke
Twitter- @zukynokeke
CHIOMA AGWUEGBO is the founder of TechHer; a founding partner at CC Consulting Services, a founding editor at YNaija 2015, a writer, a political and social commentator whose work appears in Foresight for Development, Huffington Post, Premium Times amongst others. She was also the Program Manager for Reboot in West Africa which is a social impact systems integrator working within media and open government. Her work with Tech Her involves empowering thousands of women in becoming digitally educated and to help innovate with running their businesses, building their professional competencies and personal capacities. Due to her leadership, TechHer has reached over 10,000 women across Africa – particularly in Nigeria and has emerged as one of the driving forces of women in Tech, Women in Digital Media and in advancing tech enabled women businesses.
Chioma has worked as a duty continuity announcer and presenter on radio, as a researcher, scriptwriter, and producer of the award winning radio drama “Story Story” for the BBC Media Action in Nigeria.
Chioma Agwuegbo is a certified first aider with the British Red Cross, a volunteer with HolyHill Relief, an associate member of Nigerian Leadership Initiative (NLI), the Royal Commonwealth Society (RSA), and the Deputy Curator of the Abuja Global Shapers Hub. She also serves on the strategy team for the Not Too Young to Run Bill.
HER STORY🤔
Being a strategist for women, media, technology, and politics she founded TechHer; a community of learning, support and collaboration for women using technology either as the core of their functions or as an enabler.
Through TechHer, which is Nigeria’s first hub solely dedicated to demystifying technology for the female demographic that do not have STEM advocacy thrust at them, women have been able to learn, support and collaborate during their monthly meetup which is held on First Friday of every month in Abuja.
Instagram- Chiomachuka
Twitter- @ChiomaChuka
CHRISTIANA OZIOMA EJIOFOR popularly called 'IJELE' is the anchor of “Obaegwu, Kaobanye_Na_Kaopuo” on Thursdays and “Ogeudo” on Fridays 5 - 6 PM, co-anchor of “Ijele” program on Mondays 12:30 - 2 PM and Fridays 8:30 - 9:30 PM, “Ikoro” on Wednesdays and former anchor of Voice to the People - a community development program all on Solid 100.9 FM Enugu.
She is also an actress, content producer, entertainer, investigative journalist, radio presenter, marketer, reporter, a human rights activist and a custodian of Igbo language, culture and tradition in Nigeria and beyond.
Ijele has used her influence as an On Air Personality to drive a lot of humanitarian works some of which includes the reconciliation of people in disputes from the Southeast and fringes of Benue state, Delta state, Cross River state, Kogi state among other states through “Ogeudo Program” which is being sponsored by Airtel Nigeria, the discovery of the ills in the immigration sector in Enugu; an investigation sponsored by Wadata communication in conjunction with MacArthur Foundation on Anti-corruption campaign in Nigeria, the payment of pension after an interview with the Enugu State Government among others.
She has also recorded strides in people's lives through providing health care for the less privileged, fundraising for citizens in dire need, and great benevolence through charity.
Christiana Ozioma is an associate member Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria (ICMC), a member of Enugu State University of Science and Technology Alumni and a member of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
AWARDS🙊
• She won the Pillar of Peace award by Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) in 2017
• She won the anchor 1st Ndokwa Peace and Unity cup
• She has also won the Most Illustrious Daughter Prestigious Award from Nawfija Youths Association (NYA) and the iconic presenter of the year by ISIG Nigerians Icons Award amongst other prestigious awards.
Her achievements include being the only female among 9 men to participate in the Achievement of Peace in Actors Guild of Nigeria concerning leadership, the first female rugby player with Plateau hawks, among others.
She is entirely beneficial to the South Eastern states and beyond and is craving for a better society to both individuals and government.
Instagram- ijelesolid
Twitter- @ijelesolid
DOROTHY NJEMANZE
DOROTHY NJEMANZE is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation. She is also a filmmaker, actress, humanitarian, feminist, gospel pillar, public speaker and an investigative journalist who works to expose widespread abduction and sexual violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
HER STORY🤔
Dorothy Njemanze was one of the four plaintiff who was abducted and assaulted sexually, physically, verbally and unlawfully detained at different times between January 2011 and March 2013 in the hands of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and other government agencies, such as the police and the military. She was arrested and accused of being a prostitute simply because she and the other women were found on the street at night. This led to the filing of a case against the Federal Government with support from IHRDA, Alliances for Africa, Nigerian Women Trust Fund amongst others where the Federal Government of Nigeria was found guilty of human rights violations.
Having gone through this ordeal, she decided to start Dorothy Njemanze foundation, a foundation that helps victims of violence access legal services, medical care, social services, education and increased economic empowerment. Her foundation also creates audiovisual materials in regional dialects to promote human rights awareness at the grassroots level.
She has been detained, arrested, and has suffered violence and intimidation for her work as a Human Rights Defender but this hasn’t deterred her from achieving this cause.
AWARDS🥳
• In 2014, she was awarded as a Naija Diamond awarded by EbonyLife TV and Diamond Bank
• In 2016, she was awarded as Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Award by JCI Nigeria
• She won the Amnesty International Award Ginetta Sagan in 2018 for her advocacy work on Gender-Based Violence.
• In 2019, she was one of the European Union Anti SGBV ambassadors who was recognized by the United States Diplomatic Mission Nigeria as an OrangeChamp in leading advocacy efforts against Gender-Based Violence also in 2019 she was awarded with an Inclusive Championship Award by Deaf Women Association of Nigeria Abuja chapter amongst other prestigious awards.
Instagram- dorymanze
Twitter- @dorymanze
EBERE IFENDU is a legal practitioner, chartered mediator and conciliator, gender and human rights advocate, President of Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) which is a multi-party Organization of women in politics who are members of Parliament, Women Executive officeholders, Women in civil society and other Organizations that engage and develop strategies to achieve the mission of WIPF. She is also the Director Center for Gender Education and Rights, Gregory University, Uturu Abia state and the special assistant to the Seniority Minority Leader on Diaspora Gender and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She served as a member of the Presidential Constitution and Electoral Reform Committee and was the National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Nigeria; a position in which she was the first woman to be selected in Nigeria. To further her desire to be a good leader, she embarked on the following courses to enhance her capacity: Women’s Academy for Political Party Leadership in Berlin, Germany, Legislative Advocacy, Project Management among others.
Bar. Ebere Ifendu is a member of the African Women Leadership Network AWLN, a member of UN women Consultative Group, member of Nigeria 100 Women Lobby, an IPAS trained program officer on reproductive health and rights of women and a recipient of many awards for her work in supporting women’s participation in politics.
Instagram- womeninpoliticsng
Twitter-@ifenduEbere
GLORY OGUEGBU
GLORY OGUEGBU is the Founder of Glow Initiative for Economic Empowerment under which their environmental arm - Climate Smart Nigeria - is promoting Climate Change Education in Nigerian institutions and providing capacity building on renewable energy technologies. She is also the Chief Instructor of Renewable Energy Technology Training Institute (RETTI) an institute she founded in 2018. The institute grooms the next generation of efficient installers and entrepreneurs with a focus on women to serve as a competent workforce for the Renewable Energy industry and provide solutions to Nigeria’s energy problems as entrepreneurs.
In the course of her work she has met with a number high profile personalities and leaders including President Barack Obama, US Senator Chris Coons, Ms Ivanka Trump, Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware, Ethiopian President – Ms Sahle-Work Zewde also in April 2019, Glory was selected as one of 15 African female business leaders to attend United States Government’s launch of the OPIC 2X Africa and meet with advisor to President of USA - Ms. Ivanka Trump and the Ethiopian President - Ms Sahle-Work Zewde.
HER STORY🤔
Glory founded Climate Smart Nigeria (CSN) after coming across an article that included an image tagged “Stop Climate Change Before it Changes You” where a man was shown with a monster-like fish head as a sign of reverse evolution that might occur if climate change and ice-melting continue at such alarming rate. A glimpse of the possible effects shows how the human body might evolve in order to deal with the environment change.
This image was etched in her mind and this drove her to carry out research on the subject matter. Having read on the impact of climate change on humans, the environment, and the economy, she was consumed by an urgent fear and then had the urge to do everything possible to reduce the negative impact and increase awareness which led to the start of Climate Smart Nigeria.
Her passion for how renewable energies play a significant role in combating climate change, creating stable electricity and providing jobs led to the start of RETTI which is an initiative founded out of a sheer desire to groom and mentor the next generation of renewable energy engineers and developers who will create solutions that will meet prevalent energy needs.
Glory Oguegbu is passionate about the environment and is working to help combat climate change through raising awareness. She has authored four (4) books to this cause- Something is happening; our world is changing- for secondary school students, The Concept and Science of Climate Change for the general adult public, The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow- a short novel written to address high school and university students and The Year Ran Mad which is a thriller story depicting the impact of climate change on livelihood(agriculture).
AWARDS🥳🥳
She is the recipient of several Local and International Awards some of which includes:
• Nigerian Star from the US Mission in Nigeria (2019),
• The Nigerian Energy Champion Prize from the Nigerian Energy Awards (2015),
• President Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship Award (2015),
• The Young Energy Professional of the Year Award by Nigeria Energy Awards (2018),
• A Foremost Woman in Renewable Energy award recipient (2017).
Instagram:glory_shirely Twitter-@GloryOguegbu
Ifeoma Ajumobi, popularly known as Ify-Melody is media personnel, brands promoter, sales & marketing executive, top MC, public speaker, an event manager and the owner of Mel - Media Entertainment; a media platform where she hosts her online TV shows and events.
She is currently one of the profound radio presenters in the south-eastern part of Nigeria. She works with Solid 100.9FM where she anchors Business Matters; an outstanding business show on radio that has helped StartUps to grow and stay profitable through information sharing with major focus on youths.
HER STORY🤔
Ify Melody has successfully engineered the establishment of businesses and has helped motivate lots of youths to become gainfully employed through her programmes and initiatives.
Her expertise in Sales & Marketing has not only opened innovative and groundbreaking opportunities for the organization she works with, but it has also increased opportunities for her to work closely with top notch industries & organizations in Enugu some of which includes: Enugu Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines & Agriculture (ECCIMA) and the Enugu SME Center.
She is an ardent promoter of Igbo values and culture especially in the principles of hard work, integrity and collaboration. Through her numerous outreach programs on radio she has inspired people, youths and adults to become more patriotic and embrace their originality. Also, she has organized various empowerment training for youths and equipped them with relevant skills such as Digital Marketing Skill in the bid to close the gap that exists in the Southeast. She has mentored, trained young aspiring media professionals to become better at their craft and has supported and participated in great initiatives that were designed for youth empowerment such as the Accelerate Labs which was a Microsoft supported project -a business incubator program that discovered and groomed youths with great business ideas which helped these youths birth their ideas.
IfyMelody has been consistent in searching out and bringing to limelight great AlaIgbo stories of very young enterprising youths. For this, she travels most times at her own cost to the location to cover such stories and help publicize them. All of which are evident via her Radio programmes and Social Media pages. She is also a travel blogger whose focus has been on creating awareness about the beautiful tourist attraction sites in Igboland, a cause she has organized tours to which has been able to attract the attention of many people to the uniqueness of Alaigbo. She shares her stories and experiences on her Facebook page Enugu Events and Southeast Stories
Instagram- @ifymelody1
Twitter- @Melmedia2013 & @ify_melody1
NKASIOBIM NEBO
NKASIOBIM NEBO is the Founder/Director of PeachAid Medical Initiative. She is also a skilled community health advocate with experience in maternal and child health issues in rural communities across Africa, a humanitarian worker experienced in Reproductive Health and Family Planning and a Gates Institute Global Health Leadership Accelerator Fellow.
Through her medical initiative “Peach Aid” which is a community based humanitarian organization she has provided menstrual cups, clean delivery kits for prevention/management of infections and Postpartum Hemorrhage at child delivery, antenatal care, family planning services, high-quality contraceptive methods, trainings for Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) to enable them advance their knowledge and skills on maternal issues and has afterward set up linkages between the two for improved supervision of TBA’s activities in rural communities across Nigeria.
HER STORY🤔
She had a near-death experience during childbirth which was supposedly handled by assumed professionals. This near-death experience ignited a passion in her to do everything within her power to offer/render life-saving services to pregnant mothers in rural communities, who are left to the fate of traditional birth attendants and also help improve the standard of health care service delivery in the areas of maternal and child health issues at the Primary Healthcare level in rural communities.
AWARDS🥳🥳
• She was recently awarded Nigeria’s winner for the Commonwealth Points Light Award by her Majesty, The Queen of the United Kingdom, for providing free antenatal care to 20,000 vulnerable women.
• She was awarded in September 2019 as one of the winners of the 120 under 40 “New Generation of Family Planning Leaders.”
Instagram- nkasiobim
Twitter- @nkasiobim
KATE CHINENYE MADUEKWE
KATE CHINENYE MADUEKWE is currently a staff at the University of Abuja, FCT Nigeria and also a board member in Late General Emmanuel Abisoye’s Foundation. She has been actively involved in many humanitarian activities some of which include “Feed The Widows Campaign” and “Get Her Kids Education.”
HER STORY🤔
Her pet project “Feed The Widows Campaign” started in the year 2000 at her former parish St Luke Catholic Church Kubwa, where a grassroot association was established with the consent of her parish priest, where she solicited for the provision of basic needs for widows and their children.
Following a change of parish, she was still able to establish her pet project through the assistance of family, friends, and some church members. It is in its 3rd year of existence.
Her second project, “Get Her Kids Education” started when her attention was drawn to indigent young girls who work as house helps within her estate and it focuses on mentoring and securing admission at higher education for these house helps and the underprivileged in her environment. This she does with the consent of their employers who agree to sponsor their education and in some cases securing admission for these indigent house helps.
She recently worked with a chaplaincy in Gwagwalada in securing admission into undergraduate studies for indigent students in the chaplaincy.
Dr. Catherine holds a doctorate degree in majoring in higher education from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa and also an MBA, Post Graduate diploma in Education and Management in Usman Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto.
Instagram- katemaduekwe
Twitter- @kaydarlyn
UCHENNA ONWUAMAEGBU
NNA ONWUAMAEGBU UGWU is the Chief Executive Officer of Edufun Technik, a strategic Need-Based Teaching & Learning-facilitating organization, designing and deploying knowledge-based disruptive innovative approaches to STEM with focus on developing children's potential skill-sets and talents by providing quality hands-on-training on Computer-language Coding/Programming, Design-Thinking, and Robotics, to inspire young kids to become Great Thinkers, Problem-Solvers, Innovators and Tech Leaders while guiding them to make right career decision for positive community impact.
HER STORY🤔
Having had 5-years’ experience in STEM curriculum development and implementation of Gender-Enhancing STEM education for children/youths in a resource-limited/underprivileged communities in Nigeria, she became motivated to raise a generation of young people that are highly innovative with excellent scientific skills who will take up careers in science and have strong societal impact.
Through her train-the-trainers program combined with educational workshops, after-school and in-class STEM teaching-learning activities, she has cumulatively taught over 1000 - STEM classes since 2014 and has also trained about 6,800 school children with over 60% being “The Critical-Girl-Child” as a means of closing the widening STEM-gender gap in our sociey.
Uchenna Onwuamaegbu, in 2018 led and mentored a team of young girls from Regina Pacies Secondary Onitsha, Anambra state to the final stage of Technovation 2018 World Pitch Summit in Silicon Valley, California USA; where girls from around the world are exposed to learning and application of the skills they need to solve a community problem using technology. Her team “Save A soul” won a gold medal putting Nigeria in the world map of Tech and Innovation Gold Medalist.
Her center STEM-Crusader is set to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) to families with kids between the ages of 6-18 years in Onitsha, Anambra State.
AWARDS🥳🥳
• During her NYSC, she won the State's Award for being the best serving corps member for building the state of the art guidance and counseling center for inmates at the Onitsha prisons.
• She is a 2017 recipient of The Prestigious USA-Government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship award winner for Outstanding Young African Leaders.
• She was a 2018 nominee selected among the best 200 Inaugural African Leaders of the Obama Foundation.
Instagram- uchenna_golden
Twitter- @ uchesilver
NKEM OKOCHA is a Nigerian social entrepreneur, an activist and the founder of Mamamoni; a Fintech social enterprise that empowers low-income rural and urban slum women with free vocational skills, financial skills and microloans so as to enable them generate livelihood income to feed and educate their children and also provide loans to help break barriers in accessing finance. Through Mamamoni’s web platform (www.mamamoni.org) socially-conscious individuals can lend money to low-income women for their small businesses.
Mamamoni has also been able to set up a liquid wash enterprise Levantar where low-income women in the community are trained and few of them get employed in the enterprise as factory workers and trainers.
HER STORY🤔
As a young girl, I wanted to be a lot of things, but being a social worker was not in my radar at the time. Circumstances of life pushed me into this calling. My father’s early death created such a huge gap in our lives because when he died, my mum was a full time housewife. So, getting funds for school and feeding became difficult. Later on, she started a small business, which helped to feed us. To get funding for my education, I had to hawk on the major streets of Lagos and later became a nanny. This made me promise myself that when I grew up and had a lot of money, I would help women that were just like my mother.
However, when I grew older, the bulk money required to bring this dream to pass was not forthcoming. I was working in a bank at the time and on my way to work every morning, I would see a lot of women sitting idly with their children out of school. The sight of that made my heart bitter and reminded me of what my own family had gone through. After working in the banking industry for 8 years, I resigned and started a small business. I decided to start small and with what I had which was N5000, a friend who was a vocational skills trainer and my church’s zonal center as a location, I then went out into the streets to invite any woman that desired to be empowered regardless of ethnicity and religion. We had 70 women in our first training and from there, I started going to other communities and that’s how I got into this business. It is a business built out of empathy.
I think God was trying to prepare me for the path he had laid out for me, because if I had not lost my dad and experienced financial challenges, I wouldn’t understand what it means to want to provide for your children, but be unable to because of lack of startup capital or the skills to grow a business.
Nkem Okocha is a 2015 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program Alumna, a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) alumna, the winner of LEAP Africa Social Innovator Programme (SIP) organized by Union Bank in 2016 and a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow.
Instagram- Okocha.nkem
Twitter- @Okochankem
UGOMA ADEGOKE
UGOMA ADEGOKE is a creative entrepreneur and foremost multi-arts cultural curator, gallerist, community builder, adventurer, the Founder/Chief Curator of BLOOM Art, the festival director of Lights, Camera, Africa Film Festival and the producer of the annual WOMAN RISING Music Concert and Arts Weekender. She is also an avid volunteer lending her voice, network and support to organizations like Enough is Enough Nigeria, United for Kids Foundation, Run for A Cure Africa and Living Fountain Orphanage.
WOMAN RISING Music Concert and Arts Weekender is an annual commemoration of International Women’s Day and a glorious celebration of women in arts and women that enable arts while Lights, Camera, Africa Film Festival is a non-profit initiative, a public film festival which celebrates the best of African independent cinema and is aimed at bringing film-makers and their audiences together.
She directs the workings of the award-winning design brand Zebra Living which is involved in producing experiential events and programs inspired by Nigeria’s rich cultural and multi-arts heritage, which was previously under the auspices of The Life House which she co-founded.
Ugoma Adegoke also runs a private gallery/art salon in Lagos, where she deals in art and curates private exhibitions and artist talks which are always attended by the country’s most prestigious art collectors, patrons, diplomats and scholars.
Through her private gallery and her work as a consultant curator for Constant Capital, where she hosts and curates quarterly exhibitions, she supports and promotes the work of artists and creatives.
In 2019, she provided working opportunities and mentorship to over 50 young people.
HER STORY🤔
She always had a passion for arts and culture, which initially most Nigerians did not believe in, in that they saw art as non-lucrative, a statement she described as a misconception. Hence she ventured into setting up her arts and culture firm which she runs with her husband.
Instagram- ugomaadegoke
Twitter-@livingzebra
UJUAKU AKUKWE is the CEO of Frances-Ashley Media and the co-Founder of Leaps and Bounds Entertainment Limited; a private platform where she sponsors young filmmakers to a film school in Nigeria. She is also an international award-winning documentary filmmaker, entrepreneur, author and mother of three children. Her extensive experience and practice cuts across media consultancy, content design and social works.
She is the Director and writer of Afia Attack: Trading Behind Enemy Line
HER STORY🤔
She took interest in the film industry, particularly in documentary filmmaking because it afforded her the privilege to ask questions, find answers based on true/facts of past events and help uncover these happenings to light with the hope that it will educate her audience, benefit them and perhaps be a catalyst for positive actions.
Her passion for the African women led her to organize trainings and mentorship programs owing to the fact that they’re being subdued, stereotyped and are not been encouraged to express themselves as they deem fit cause in most cases they are being frowned at when they dare step outside the box which in turn as an effect on the self-esteem of the African women as they get scared of breaking the norm and embracing who they really are or truly desire to be.
She has also been able to give back to her space through highlighting and bringing to the fore stories that are either forgotten, downplayed or ignored.
She is an alumna of the New-York Film Academy, University of Nigeria and Pan Atlantic University with certificates in entrepreneurial management and strategic management.
AWARDS🥳🥳
• Her films have won several nominations and awards globally including the winner Best Documentary Silicon Valley African Film Festival, United States.
• She has won producer of the year and Award of Excellence both from the International Film Festival, zero discrimination and social justice Indonesia amongst others.
• She is a recipient of a Certificate of Recognition from the California Legislature Assembly for her use of film for community engagement and has also won the Nigeria Women Entrepreneurship Award for her contribution to positive parenting.
Instagram- ujuaku.akukwe
Twitter- @ujuakum
VANESSA NNADI is a Physiotherapist, a young leader, a service-oriented humanitarian and a lady who is very passionate about Emotional and Mental Wholeness. She is the Convener of Moments with Vanessa, a platform where people embark on the journey of self-discovery, overcoming low self-esteem, overcoming the psychological effects of all forms of abuse, dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. This platform has led to the birth of secondary school reach outs and a series titled "LET'S TALK" which provides a safe space for people to share their Emotional and Mental struggles without any feeling of being judged.
She is also the founder of Green Ice Foundation; a Non-Governmental Organization that is committed to women empowerment, girl-child education and women's health. She’s a well sought Public Speaker on topics related to women, girls, and emotional/mental wellbeing.
Vanessa Nnadi is a YALI RLC West Africa Alumni and also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society, awarded to her due to her commitment in promoting the values of Commonwealth and working to improve the lives and prospects of the Commonwealth citizens.
She is happily married to an amazing man and a huge pillar of support, Barr. Kene Nnadi.
Her vision is to raise extraordinary, impactful and confident people in her generation.
AWARDS🥳🥳
She was recently awarded the Role Model of the year under the Unsung Heroes Award organized by Oma Living Show.
Instagram- Nessa_Nnadi
Twitter- @Nessa_Nnadi
UKAMAKA OKOYE is the Managing Director and coordinator of Emco Foundry Works where she oversees the company management business and technical related activities, establishes and implements company policies. Her company Emco Foundry Works is into the light manufacturing of auto, motorcycle and tricycle spares such as battery head terminal for all vehicles, motorcycle hand clutches and brakes for different kinds of motorcycles, tricycle hands and so on.
Emco Foundry Works is also into the production of durable and innovative value-added quality range of auto, motorcycle and tricycle spares.
Ukamaka Okoye has ten (10) years’ experience in the business and she was motivated to venture into the business due to her passion and interest for it.
Dr. CHELUCHI ONYEMELUKWE-ONUOBIA
Dr. CHELUCHI ONYEMELUKWE-ONUOBIA is a leading expert in health law in Nigeria and is the Managing Partner of Health Ethics and Law Consulting which works extensively in the health and social sectors. She advises on health sector reform nationally and internationally, including areas of health financing, universal health care, patient safety, quality, research ethics, etc. She is also an Associate Professor at Babcock University School of Law and Security Studies where she teaches Health Law and Policy.
Her Non-profit Organization, the Center for Health Ethics Law and Development (CHELD), does extensive work and enlightenment on mental health amongst other health issues. Its advocacy for the decriminalization of attempted suicide in Nigeria was recently featured on CNN.
She is a member of Nigeria’s National Health Research Ethics Committee, the Technical Working Group on Legislation, Policy, and Compliance on E-Health, the International Bar Association Life Science and Health Committee, etc.
She holds a First Class Degree in Law from the University of Nigeria and a doctorate degree in Law from Dalhousie University, Canada where she was a Killam Scholar and a Canadian Institution of Health Research Training Fellow.
She is the author of Health Research Governance in Africa: Law, Ethics and Regulation (Routledge, 2018) and many article in reputable, international journals.
Instagram- cheluchio
Twitter- @Cheluchi_O
SUNSHINE CHIKEZIE
SUNSHINE CHIKEZIE is a radio presenter, a red carpet host and the Founder of Boy-Child Movement; an initiative aimed at sensitizing the Boy-Child, giving the Boy-Child an opportunity to be more than a drug addict, a street hooligan, a rapist or a criminal.
She has previously worked with Radio Nigeria, Pacesetter 103.5 FM, Unity 100.5 FM and Absu 101.9 FM. Although she is not with any radio station at the moment she still is passionate about working with a radio station.
HER STORY🤔
She noticed a lot of emphasis are being made on the Girl-Child as almost everyone is trying to help the girl child get through depression, rejection, teach them how to,fight for her right and all the positive attributes there is to instill yet little or nothing is done to help inculcate these same right values in the Boy-child as they are being ignored. Hence, she started this initiative to help inculcate these values and help manage the Boy-Child emotions as most boys experience difficulty in expressing their emotions as all they do is bottle these emotions all in the name of ”Being a man and taking responsibilities”.
Her initiative saw the need to be the voice and strength of the Boy-Child, to educate them that they become better humans and not just growing up to be a better man, that they live above the general demoralizing thought and belief about the Boy-Child being the sole reason for civil unrest and violence in our societies and communities. Steps taken by the initiative in achieving this case involves: school sensitization, digital skill training and a major conference for the Boy-Child in Ebonyi state.
Instagram- _sunshine_chikezie
Twitter- _sunshine_chikezie
Tamar's Footnote:
Women are strong and these women have taken it upon themselves to take the lead towards making a difference in their community and beyond.
"The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd" You are a QUEEN, so stand out.💜🌹💐🌷💮🌸🌻
Thanks Tamar for this😘
ReplyDeleteWe are extraordinary queens and we must stand out and make a difference in our generation.