Network of Disabled Women (NDW) has taken its leadership training and development Initiative designed especially for young girls with disabilities to School for the Blind, Jabi, Abuja.
The project, which kicked off at Government Secondary School, Kuje, Abuja on 12 October 2021, staged at Safehost International Academy three days later. The most recent visit to the School for the Blind held on the 27th of October, 2021. A total of 33 young girls between 6 to 15 years of age participated in the program.
NDW intends through the project, to establish and inaugurate leadership clubs that educate young girls on the need for leadership, while simultaneously guiding and increasing the girls active involvement in decision making processes and nurturing behavioral changes among them.
NDW is one of the implementing partners of the project under the Women Voices and Leadership (WVL) initiative. The five-year project is supported by ActionAid Nigeria with funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), a five years initiative.
At the interactive session, Lois Auta-Udonkanta, President of NDW encouraged and urged the young girls not to see their disability as a barrier to their lives. She challenged these girls to believe in potentials and that these potentials can be harnessed to become great leaders who will usher in positive changes. She further encouraged the girls to have positive mindsets about becoming great change makers.
Representative of the School, Mr Muhammad Yusuf remarked that it is good such opportunity is coming at such time considering that the school elected new prefects just a week before the visitation. Mohammed noted that the training will further enhance their leadership skills.
The participating students were given the honour of suggesting names for the club to be established. Someone suggested “Disabled Girls Club”, to which the NDW team made an important clarification by telling the student that “disability is not a barrier but a means to be who they wish to be”.
The team thereafter coined the name This Able Girl Power Leaders Club (TAGPL). The club was inaugurated and club executives were voted to ensure continuous impact on the students.
TAGPL is expected to offer young girls the opportunity to speak about their challenges and offer solutions with guidance and supervision offered by NDW Officers.
The program was a success, with a large turnout. Participants declared their willingness to take responsibility in leadership and decision making while exploring new opportunities.
The students, in their appreciation, thanked the team for coming to the school and requested frequent visits by the team.
The NDW team promised to visit the school on monthly basis. This, they said is to ensure sustainability of the Club and increased participation of young girls with disabilities in leadership.
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