Save Our Needy Celebrates First International Education Day.

Save Our Needy joined the rest of the world yesterday to celebrate the very first International Education Day. The theme of this day was “Education for Peace and Development”.

Education is a key driver of social change and economic growth, and its importance for achieving gender equality has been widely recognized. It has always been an important element for the development of an individual. It broadens the horizon of one’s mind. Education is one of the most powerful tools we can implement in our global efforts to promote world peace and security.

Education offers people a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future. Sadly, about 265 million children and adolescents around the world still do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school. More than a fifth of them are of primary school age.

Nigeria has a high rate of illiteracy. At least 40% of the population, that is about 75 million people cannot read or write a simple sentence. Of this population, the majority of them are women. Forty per cent of Nigerian children aged 6-11 do not attend any primary school with the Northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate in the country, particularly for girls. Despite a significant increase in net enrollment rates in recent years, it is estimated that about 4.7 million children of primary school age are still not in school.

Empowering girls to become self-reliant

 

The education sector in Nigeria today, particularly in Northern Nigeria, faces a lot of challenges including a lack of skilled teachers, poor infrastructure, lack of learning equipment and unconducive environment for learning.

Another challenge in Nigeria is the issue of girls’ education. Among the critical challenges that impede girls’ education are poverty, conflict and violence, early marriages, harmful traditional practices, long distances to school, religious beliefs and inadequate menstrual hygiene.

Save Our Needy works to advance equal access to quality education for all.

"Education is more than a right, education is a remedy. In a world gripped by crises, education can be a pathway to growth and a stepping stone toward peace."- Rania Al Abdullah

Happy #EducationDay

Tech Girls Gets Nominated for World Summit On The Information Society Prizes 2019.

Tech Girls, a project designed to empower marginalized and vulnerable adolescent girls with ICT and digital skills, encourage girls to enroll in STEM subjects as well as provide them with mentorship support, has been nominated for the World Summit On The Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2019.

The project initiated by Save Our Needy, has empowered more than 250 girls in Nigeria since 2017 to date.

WSIS Prizes is a unique international contest developed to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognize individuals, governments, civil society, local, regional and international agencies, research institutions and private-sector companies for outstanding success in implementing development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of development.  

The WSIS Prizes contest serves as the platform for identifying and showcasing the success stories across the WSIS Action Lines defined in the Geneva Plan of Action and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also provides us with models that can be replicated in the interests of empowering the community at the local level, providing everyone with an opportunity to participate in the contest and, most importantly, recognizing the efforts made by stakeholders to contribute to the development of society and their commitment to achievement of both the WSIS goals and SDGs.

Please we need your vote for Tech Girls to be selected among the winning projects.

Steps To Vote:

1. Go to the following link: https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/stocktaking/Prizes/2019/Vote

2. Register as a new user

3. Log in to your account

 4. Go to Vote and then click on “Voting Form”

5. Vote in each of 18 categories (only then is your vote valid!) That means you start by voting in category AL C1. 

Tech Girls has been nominated in the category 3 - AL C3. 

Kindly note that there is another Tech-Girls, a project in Charlottesville, USA and another Tech Girls Advocacy Program in other categories. PLEASE kindly ensure that you vote for Tech Girls, a project in Nigeria CATEGORY 3- AL C3.

Together, we can empower more girls with technology and digital skills in Nigeria!

THANK YOU!

#WSIS  #ICT4SDG

Empowering Women and Girls With Disabilities in Africa

Every Dec 3rd, the world celebrates the International Day of Persons With Disabilities. It is time to reflect on this year's theme which is “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.

Disabled women should be empowered

Millions of girls and women with disabilities particularly in Africa are being denied a fair and just chance in life. Without education and empowerment, they are exposed to serious insecurities and dangers, including early marriage, sexual exploitation, diseases, poverty and servitude. This crisis goes beyond the unfulfilled lives of girls and women who miss out on education and involves serious loss of economic benefits and opportunities.

There is ability in disability

Save Our Needy works to improve the living conditions of girls and women with disabilities in Africa. The organization believes that empowering people with disabilities will create a more inclusive and just society. As we look forward to celebrating the IDPD this year, it is important to note that there is "ability" in "disability."

Marvella Odili Attends Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Annual Seminar

The Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Fellowship Alumni hosted the 11th HHH Fellowship Annual Seminar in collaboration with the US Embassy, Nigeria, today, at BWC Hotel, opposite Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.

HHH Fellowship Alumni chose this year's theme to be "Youths and Transformational Leadership" because they believe that young people are key stakeholders in the country and should be given the opportunity to play their roles.

Russell Brooks, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate, Lagos, addressing the audience.

Some of the notable faces at the well-attended event included US Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington, Taraba State Firstlady, Her Excellency, Barrister (Mrs.) Anna Mbasughun Darius Ishaku, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate, Lagos, Russell Brooks, and Justice Eniola Fabanwo, Vice-president HHH Fellowship Alumni, Ogun State High Court Judge.

US Ambassador, W. Stuart Symington (middle), Barrister Mrs. Anna Ishaku, Taraba State Firstlady (4th right) with HHH Fellows

Dapo Oyewole, Yale World Fellow, moderated an interesting panel made up of Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Prof of Public Admin at Lead City University, Samson Itodo of the Not Too Young To Run movement and Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, the only African to be nominated for the 2018 CNN Hero award.

L-R Samson Itodo, Dapo Oyewole, Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, Ambassador W. Stuart Symington and Dr. Tunji Olaopa

According to Dr. Olaopa, transformational leadership entails leaders and followers working together, motivating each other to create change. He further stated that Nigeria needs to invest in human capital and make bold policies to enable the youths participate in the economic development of the country. 

Samson Itodo reiterated that young people need to be empowered with knowledge for non-violent change and to take on the role of leadership in Nigeria.  People should be empowered from a very young age in civic engagement and taking responsibilities in every sphere of life. In his words, a good leader should have the capacity, content (vision) and character to lead. A leader should be able to mobilize support, take responsibility and add value. 

US Ambassador, W. Stuart Symington affirmed that the youths should be active participants in the Nigerian democracy.

US Ambassador, W. Stuart Symington urging Nigerian youths to take active part in politics and leadership.

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the HHH Distinguished Alumni award to Her Excellency, Barrister (Mrs) Anna Ishaku. 

Marvella Odili, founder/CEO of Save Our Needy represented the organization at the event.

Marvella Odili, Founder/CEO, Save Our Needy, at the event.

Founder/CEO of Save Our Needy, Marvella Odili

The HHH Fellowship Program is a United States Program which provides ten months of non- degree academic study and related professional experiences to experienced men and women undergoing development or political transition. 

Fellows are selected based on their potential for leadership and their commitment to public service in either the public or the private sector. 

The HHH Program fosters a mutual exchange of knowledge and understanding about issues of common concern in the US and the Fellows' home countries. The Program offers Fellows valuable opportunities for leadership development and professional engagement with Americans and their counterparts from many nations. 

More than 5,700 men and women have been honored as Humphrey Fellows since the program began in 1978.

ONE launches Vote Your Future Campaign

Nigeria has enjoyed democracy for nearly two decades. However, this democracy has been marked by low turn out of youths during elections, corruption, unfulfilled promises, buying of votes and stuffing of ballot boxes.

Bisola Aiyeola arriving at the event

On Saturday, October 20th, ONE Campaign launched the Vote Your Future Campaign to give youths the chance to ask presidential candidates of the various political parties what their plans and agenda are for the nation, and particularly for youths.

A participant at the event

The well-packed event saw youths from all over Nigeria converge at Abuja to witness and participate in the historic event.

The #VoteYourFuture campaign is all about reinforcing the fact that citizens' action of voting (or not voting) affects their future. It affects the future of families, children and can have an impact on advancement in life. Voting matters. Not only that, how you vote matters. How you select candidates is of critical importance.

#VoteYourFuture

Event venue

It is important that candidates know the issues that affect Nigeria, and most importantly how to solve them. Candidates might not have all the answers, but they must know how to get the answers and they must demonstrate that knowledge when ordinary citizens, ask them questions. 

Celebrities and influencers including Bisola Aiyeola, Bankole Wellington aka Banky W and Folarin Galena aka Falz The Bad Guy were some of the speakers at the event.

L-R: Banky W and Bisola Aiyeola

Falz The Bad Guy (Folarin Falana)

The event was hosted by renowned host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.

L-R: Serrah Makkah ( ONE Director, Nigeria) and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu