International Day of the Girl Child in Benin, Nigeria
ChiYoWo Celebrates International Day of the Girl Child 2016 in Benin, Nigeria
Children, Youth and Women (ChiYoWo) Empowerment Initiative organized a one-day seminar to commemorate the international Day of Girl Child on 11th of October, 2016 at Discovery Schools, Benin City, Nigeria. The theme of this year’s event, “Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: A Global Girl Data Movement, is a call for action for increased investment in collecting and analyzing girl-focused, girl-relevant and sex-disaggregated data, as what gets counted gets done. The Day increases awareness of issues and inequalities faced by girls around the world. To date, many global development plans do not include or consider girls, and their issues and problems become “invisible.”
The seminar helped raise awareness not only of the issues that girls face but also what is likely to happen when those problems are resolved. For instance, educating girls helps reduce the rate of child marriages, disease and helps strengthen the economy by enabling girls have access to higher paying jobs.
Onyeka Titigbe of ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative and facilitator of the Girl Child event noted the objective of the seminar, was to empower the participants to be better leaders in the society. This was borne from the fact that the rate of girl child abuse, kidnappings and gender based violence in the society caused by culture, hunger and poverty, inadequate government policies and insurgency had been placed on the back burner for too long.
At the event Mrs. Rita Iyke-Uwaka, a forest and biodiversity officer of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, emphasized on the need for immediate action to protect the girl child and stressed educating the girl child would help to reduce dependency on others and to a large extent, help lift families out of poverty. In addition, Mr. Cadmus Enade, from the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, urged them to maintain their dignity as girls, while Mrs. Caroline Ubrei Joe stated every girl has the potential of giving birth to a generation, not just a generation but generation of impact. She also spoke on how to achieve their career goals and advised them not to be distracted by irrelevant events.
In closing the event, Chiyowo Empowerment Initiative donated a total of ten (10) copies of Ben Carson’s life changing books “Gifted Hands” and “Think Big” to 10 students who were encouraged to read and learn from the books.
ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative is a non-profit organisation seeking to Reposition Children, Youth and Women towards Sustained Livelihoods.
- Published in Events
ChiYoWo Rehabilitates Water Borehole for Internally Displaced Persons in Abuja, Nigeria
ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative Rehabilitates Abandon Water Borehole For Internally Displaced Persons in Abuja, Nigeria
On 15th October 2016, ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative marked the Global Handwashing Day by repairing and restoring a disused water borehole at the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Durumi, Abuja, Nigeria. ChiYoWo which is an acronym of Children, Youth and Women focused attention on the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene and the significance of washing hands after going to the toilet, playing outside, farming, selling goods and produce, working and more.
According to Globalhandwashing.org every year, 1.7 billion children do not live to celebrate their 5th birthday because of diarrhea and pneumonia. Three quarters of these children are located in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This Project was based on the Day’s theme ‘Make Handwashing a Habit’. ChiYoWo empowered mostly women and children on the most effective way to prevent such diseases, by providing them with sustainable water and informing them of the importance of using soap when washing hands.
We are proud to say the host community and most especially over 300 women and 400 children living in Durumi IDP Camp now have access to clean water, which will be used for cooking, bathing, farming and their general well-being. According to the Chairlady of the IDP Camp whom we spoke with 2 weeks later, “every day women and our young girls pray for you when they go to fetch water from the borehole, because water is the most important thing women need in their lives”.
ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative is a non-profit organisation seeking to Reposition Children, Youth and Women towards Sustained Livelihoods.
- Published in Events
International Volunteer Day
International Volunteer Day
By ChiYoWo
International Volunteers Day was created in 1985 for organizations, communities, and individual volunteers to celebrate and make visible their contributions at local, national, and international levels. It is now observed every year on December 5th.
Volunteering is defined as, “a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking.”
Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with an estimated 170 million people, but despite being the largest economy, poverty rates are still climbing with 65% said to be living in extreme poverty. These conditions breed discontent and disaffection amongst youth. It also becomes an entry way for corruption, Islamic extremism and ineffective governance. VSO International says Nigeria needs to create at least 2.5 million jobs every year for the next decade to meet the needs of its growing workforce, and with 10.5 million children currently out of school, something needs to be done.
That is where volunteering comes in. There are many great benefits to volunteering. It can help
- fight poverty
- improve education
- by making sure that everyone gets the skills they need to live a full, exciting, and dignified life.
- volunteering can also help contribute to the delivery and enhancement of education. Baker, Gersten and Keating (2000) showed that volunteers can have a direct impact on students such as helping them to learn how to read.
- improve health
- by making sure people have access to better quality healthcare.
- improve livelihoods
- Giving people the freedom to live with independence and dignity by offering secure and reliable access to food and income.
It also has positive effects on the volunteers themselves, bot intrinsically and extrinsically. It can help with self-esteem, open and expand career paths and allow them to get proper training, along with helping with mental and physical health. They are also able to build up their resumes, develop leadership skills, and develop long lasting relationships with people in their communities and community leaders.
There are many things for today’s youth to volunteer with. Things like working in a foodbank, volunteering for administrative tasks, working with children, and working with the homeless are just a few.
If you are interested in volunteering there are numerous volunteering projects available.
A few for you to look at are:
- http://www.icyenigeria.org/projects.html
- http://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/category/volunteering/
- https://www.chiyowo.org
Let’s all start coming together and becoming a cohesive community. Let’s make sure everyone has the access to healthcare, education, and a chance for great livelihoods! Help us observe International Volunteers Day and show appreciation for our volunteers all around the world!
Sources:
Points Of Light – http://www.pointsoflight.org/sites/default/files/site-content/files/social_impact_of_volunteerism_pdf.pdf
VSO International – https://www.vsointernational.org/volunteering/ICS-youth-volunteering
VSO International – https://www.vsointernational.org/sites/default/files/the_role_of_volunteering_in_sustainable_development_2015_vso_ids.pdf
USAID – https://www.usaid.gov/nigeria
- Published in BLOG
Stand Up For Someone’s Rights Today
Stand Up For Someone’s Rights Today
By ChiYoWo
On December 10, 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document set out fundamental human rights to be universally protected. Human Rights Day is now observed every year on December 10th to commemorate this huge milestone in human rights history.
Many feel that this year’s Human Rights Day is an especially important one because of the way the world is currently heading. People are fearful. Fearful for their lives and the lives of others. All over the globe there is disrespect for the most basic of human rights. There are senseless killings surrounded by messages of hate and intolerance. People come face to face with horrific violence from extremist movements. People are scared to be themselves, and we must put a stop to it.
This year’s theme is Stand Up For Someone’s Rights Today. United Nations states, “We must reaffirm our common humanity. Wherever we are, we can make a real difference. In the street, in school, at work, in public transport; in the voting booth, on social media.”
Ways to stand up for rights:
- Read and share the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Stand up for someone that you see is being bullied or harassed. It doesn’t matter if you see it online, at the mall, or at school.
- Donate to organizations that help those affected by human rights abuse.
- Combat myths with facts. Challenge those harmful stereotypes.
- Educate your children about human rights. Show them positive and diverse role models.
Though only a few are listed, there are many things you can do to stand up for human rights not just on Human Rights Day, but every day of the year. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. […] Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”
If we want the world to change, it must start within ourselves first.
Source:
United Nations – http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/background.shtml
United Nations – http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner – http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HumanRightsDay.aspx
- Published in BLOG
What is AIDS?
What is AIDS?
By ChiYoWo
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. AIDS occurs when the HIV infection is very advanced, and your immune system is too weak to fight off infections. This is the last stage of HIV where your body is too weak to fight off or defend itself and may develop various infections and diseases. If left untreated the probability of death is high.
What is HIV?
HIV is a disease that gradually attacks our body’s natural defense against illnesses-the immune system. The HIV virus attacks and destroys a type of white blood cell known as the T- helper cell. While destroying the T- helper cell, it makes a copy of itself and places it inside it. The HIV virus makes it extremely difficult for your body to fight off illnesses and diseases.
There are two types of HIV:
- HIV-1: The most common type found worldwide.
- HIV-2: Mainly found in Western Africa, with some cases in India and Europe.
There is currently no cure for AIDS or HIV, but with the right treatment people who are infected can live long, healthy lives.
At the end of 2015 there were 36.7 million people who were living with HIV, with 9% of those people living in Nigeria. That means that there are 3.5 million people living with HIV in Nigeria alone. Globally, 15% of women that are living with HIV are between the ages of 15 -24 years old with 80% living in Sub-Saharan Africa. 400,000 children in Nigeria are currently living with HIV. Most of these children become infected by mother-to-child transmission which includes pregnancy, giving birth, and breast feeding. Other instances include sexual transmission, children who inject drugs and infection through medical/healthcare settings (though this is rare).
UNAIDS says that of the 36.7 million people that are infected with HIV, 19 million of them do not know their HIV-positive status and that adolescent girls and young women make account for one in four new HIV infections in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Though in recent years the numbers of AIDS related deaths and new HIV infections have been on the decline, it is still very much a major issue around the world. It is important for everyone to be educated, practice safe sex and to get themselves tested.
Please join us in raising awareness on AIDS and the impact it has on people, their families and our world on December 1, 2016 for World AIDS Day.
Sources:
[1.] UNAIDS – http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet [2.] World AIDS Day – https://www.worldaidsday.org/ [3.] Avert – http://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/sub-saharan-africa/nigeria#footnote1_koph3hb [4.] UNAIDS Gap Report – http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/UNAIDS_Gap_report_en.pdf [5.] WHO – http://www.who.int/gho/hiv/en/ [6.] Avert – http://www.avert.org/about-hiv-aids/what-hiv-aids
- Published in ARTICLES
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
By ChiYoWo
Almost half of the world, over 3 billion people is considered to be living in poverty, surviving on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion people are considered to be living in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.25 a day. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was created to help raise awareness to these alarming statistics and the need to eradicate poverty and destitution all across the globe. It promotes dialogue and understanding between people living in poverty and their communities, and society at large (1).
Effects of Poverty
Poverty doesn’t just mean living on little to no money. Issues like hunger, illness, lack of shelter, and no access to healthcare, education, or other services are all effects of poverty. One of the biggest issues however, is the lack of access to clean, safe water. Nearly 1 billion people across Africa do not have access to clean drinking water (2). Without clean water, many problems arise. People are at great risk for many waterborne diseases. It is estimated that 50 percent of Africans have a waterborne disease such as cholera and with unsafe water; growing food is not an option. With no food, comes hunger. A staggering 75 percent of the world’s poorest countries are located in Africa, with one in four people being undernourished (3). That is an estimated 233 million people and living on less than a $1.25 makes this a very unsettling statistic (4, 5). Although environmental factors and conflict do weigh in, it simply comes down to the fact that without sufficient income and unclean water, people do not have the means to purchase or grow food (5). However, with no access to clean water and food, children are removed from school to help fetch water where ever they can find it such as from streams or wells. Sometimes children work to help support their families. Ultimately, such children are not able to get the education they deserve.
Helping End Poverty
We must all work together and help end poverty. We need to make sure that every person on this planet has access to clean drinking water, education, jobs, and food. Please help observe International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17th. If we all work together we can make this world a better place.
Sources:
[1.] World Health Organization – http://www.who.int [2.] The Water Project- https://thewaterproject.org/why-water/poverty [3.] The Borgen Project – http://borgenproject.org [4.] Do Something.org- https://www.dosomething.org [5.] Worldhunger.org – http://www.worldhunger.org- Published in ARTICLES
Youth Leadership and Mentoring: Quick Facts
Youth Leadership and Mentoring: Quick Facts
By ChiYoWo
The good news is Nigeria has been experiencing a sustained period of economic growth in the last decade. The bad news is that Nigeria has also been experiencing a sustained period of jobless growth. So, while the economy has been doing well, people are still left underemployed or unemployed. This unemployment crisis has particularly hit Nigeria’s youth. With Nigeria’s population reaching 185 million and with at least half of that population considered youth, this is really a big of a problem for the most populous nation on the African Continent. According to the National Population Commission, youth is defined as an individual between the ages of 15 and 34.
So what is it that causing so many youth to be affected by this unemployment crisis? According to Brookings, there are several factors that contribute to unemployment in youth. These include the lack of education, and a high population growth rate.
So what can we do? Fortunately, there are many things we can do to help our youth overcome this obstacle. For one, we can initiate youth mentoring programmes. It is shown that deficient school curricula and poor teacher training have contributed to the failure to provide students with appropriate skills to make them employable. By initiating youth mentorship programmes, we are showing our youth that we do in fact care about their future. According to the National Mentoring Partnership, “Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset.”
Here are some quick facts about young adults that had a mentor in America which Nigeria can learn from:
- 55% more likely to enroll in college
- 78% more likely to volunteer regularly
- 90% are interested in becoming a mentor
- 130% more likely to hold leadership positions
We must educate and show our children that we care about them and we care for their future. Providing a mentor will not only show them that someone cares for their future, we are in turn teaching them leadership skills that will have for the rest of their lives. Let’s get involved today!
Sources:
[1.] Mentoring – http://www.mentoring.org/why-mentoring/mentoring-impact/ [2.] Country Meters – http://countrymeters.info/en/Nigeria [3.] AfriGrowth Foundation – http://afrigrowth.org/programs/youth-mentoring/ [4.] Dalberg – http://www.dalberg.com
- Published in ARTICLES
Life in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew in 2016
Life in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew in 2016
By ChiYoWo
Six years after dealing with a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people and destroyed more than 300,000 buildings, Haiti had to deal once more with tragedy.
Hurricane Matthew swept through the country on October 4, 2016 killing more than 1,000 people, leaving 175,000 people homeless and 1.4 million in need of food assistance. The country’s Directorate of Civil Protection claimed that when Hurricane Matthew slammed into Haiti it was a Category 4 hurricane that that had 145-mph winds. According to BBC News, almost 90 percent of Haiti’s south had been completely destroyed.
Though there have been many aid groups out surveying the damage and trying to reach as many people as they can, they are struggling with reaching the hardest hit areas such as Jérémie due to fallen trees, debris and roads and bridges that are impassable. There are also various roadblocks set up by desperate people trying to divert aid trucks so that they too may get supplies. Along with the need of food and shelter many need clothes, shoes, and medical care. According to Reuters, there are people with injuries such as broken bones that have not been treated since the hurricane hit.
Not only do the people of Haiti have to worry about finding food, shelter, and medical attention, but they also fear that disease may strike in the wake of disaster-fears that have been proven legitimate. There are at least 2,271 suspected cases of cholera in Haiti with the number rising every day. Haitians also have to worry about tetanus and waterborne diseases worsening due to persistent rainfall. Other worries include access to healthcare for pregnant women and protection for the women and girls that have been displaced.
Amidst all of this chaos however, the people of Haiti solider on. Marielle Sander, the United Nations Population Fund representative for Haiti says she remembers a midwife in Jérémie deliver six babies in the height of the storm with “water up to her knees”.
There are many people trying to resume their lives as best as they can. Some schools have reopened (although supplies such as books are still needed), people are going back to work if they are able, and the markets are slowly bouncing back.
Though there is a long road to recovery for Haiti, with the commitment and dedication from everyone in the world, they can rebuild and come back stronger than ever! There are websites you can visit to help today.
Sources:
[1.] Weather.com – https://weather.com/news/news/hurricane-matthew-haiti-latest-news-0 [2.] CNN – http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/06/americas/hurricane-matthew-cuba-haiti/ [3.] USA Today – http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/10/26/hurricane-battered-haiti-matthew-recovery/92678570/ [4.] Weather.com https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/hurricane-matthew-by-the-numbers [5.] Weather.com https://weather.com/news/news/hurricane-matthew-haiti-effects-continue [6.] Weather.com https://weather.com/news/news/hurricane-matthew-haiti-effects-continue
- Published in ARTICLES
Let’s be kind to one another …
Let’s be kind to one another …
By ChiYoWo
In 1998 the World Kindness Movement introduced World Kindness Day on November 13th. World Kindness Day focuses on the good deeds being done throughout communities, and focuses on the positive power and the common thread of kindness that binds us all together. According to Gulf News “it is a day that encourages individuals to overlook boundaries, race and religion” There are many ways you can participate in World Kindness Day.
Here are two suggestions to help you get started on World Kindness Day.
- Share a kindness quote. There are many quotes out there about kindness, such as “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted “–Aesop. So, find your favorite one, put on Facebook and Twitter and tell it to your co-workers and friends.
- Do Kindness. We should do kindness every day, but especially on World Kindness Day! There are many activities you can do such as: writing a note of encouragement to someone, picking up rubbish, recycling, helping someone out to their car, or donating to charity.
Random facts about kindness
Kindness Fact #1: Did you know engaging in acts of kindness produces endorphins, the brains natural painkiller?
Kindness Fact #2: Like most medical antidepressants, kindness stimulates the production of serotonin. This feel-good chemical heals your wounds, calms you down, and makes you happy!
Kindness Fact #3: The positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who witnessed the act, improving their mood and making them significantly more likely to “pay it forward.” This means one good deed in a crowded area can create a domino effect and improve the day of dozens of people!
So, no matter where you are in the world or whether you are young or old, be sure to spread kindness and participate in World Kindness Day!
Sources:
[1.] The World Kindness Movement – http://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org/ [2.] Random Acts of Kindness – https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/about-us- Published in BLOG
International Men’s Day
International Men’s Day
By ChiYoWo
On February 7, 1992 International Men’s Day was first created. It is now celebrated annually on November 19th in over 60 countries. The objective of International Men’s Day is to focus on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive role models. It is a day for men to celebrate all of their achievements and their contributions to their families, communities, marriages, and children. It is also a day to focus on men’s wellbeing socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
The theme for this year’s International Men’s Day is STOP MALE SUICIDE. Sadly, the suicide rate for men is three times higher than women in every country. Annually, there are some 475,000 deaths from murder, of which 80% are male. On top of high suicide rate, data shows that men are overall unhealthier than women in almost every part of the world due to numerous factors. Some of these factors being, the majority of smokers are male, men are also more likely to drink and do illegal drugs than women, they overall have a poorer diet and are faced with more occupational health hazards than woman. Globally, men’s life expectancy rate has dropped down from 69 years to 58.3 years.
Now is the time to bring attention to the issues the men in our world are facing! We need to show we are there for them and care for them as they care for us.
There have been and are many methods of commemorating International Men’s Day such as public seminars, conferences, festivals and fundraisers, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programs, religious observances, and peaceful displays and marches. You can participate in observing International Men’s Day by telling those special men in your life how much they mean to you! Let’s celebrate men and all that they do for the family, friends, jobs, communities and their nations!
[1.] Mens Day – http://www.mensday.ws/en/about.php [2.] BCMJ – http://www.bcmj.org/articles/silent-epidemic-male-suicide [3.] Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Men%27s_Day [4.] Mens Health Week – http://www.menshealthweek.org.au [5.] International Mens Day – http://www.internationalmensday.com/
- Published in BLOG