Ms Agnes Ntibanyurwa (2nd right), Deputy Country Representative of the UNFPA, presenting the items to Mrs Seun Jooda (3rd left)

UNFPA supports education of needy girls

Daily Graphic Mar - 04 - 2020 , 11:23

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has supported the Abiola Bawuah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), with educational materials for girls in some rural communities in the country.

The items were 3,000 exercise books, 600 pieces of school uniforms, 300 torchlights, 500 school bags and stationery.

The gesture by the UN agency was to support the foundation’s project which solicits educational assistance for deprived, disadvantaged and marginalised girls.

A trustee of the foundation, Mrs Sheun Jooda, who received the items, noted that girls should not be denied their right to education because of lack of resources.

Girls’ support project

She said the Abiola Bawuah Foundation initiated ‘The 100 Girls’ Support Project’ to provide girls in deprived communities the opportunity to access formal education just like their counterparts from well-endowed background, and called on other institutions and individuals to support the foundation to reach out to more girls in hard-to-reach areas.

Mrs Jooda indicated that by providing needy girls with their educational needs, “we are actually encouraging them to stay in the classroom and have an opportunity to be educated”.

The Project Officer of the Abiola Bawuah Foundation, Ms Geraldine Osafo Ntiri, also explained that the rationale behind the commitment to improve the educational fortunes of needy girls “was inspired by the life story of the co-founder, Mrs Abiola Bawuah, whose own experience inspired her to help girls become who they want to be.”

Adolescent girl

The Country Representative of the UNFPA, Mr Niyi Ojuolape, said the holistic development of the adolescent girl was at the core of the UN agency’s mandate hence the decision to throw its weight behind the initiative.

“We want to make sure the adolescent girls remain in school and that they have everything they need to continue their education so that they can fulfil their potentials and contribute to national development in the future,” Mr Ojuolape said.