News
Mandela Washington Fellow Trains 60 VVF Survivors on Entrepreneurial Skills
A 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow, Ms. Chidinma Mbanasor, on Monday concluded a series of vocational rehabilitation and economic empowerment program for 60 Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) survivors in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The training session which spanned over a period of seven (7) days was targeted at the socio-economic reintegration of women who have undergone fistula repair surgeries, especially those whose husbands abandoned them as a result of their medical condition.
“The majority of these VVF survivors are peasants, petty traders, and housewives who have difficulty supporting themselves let alone their families. The situation becomes even more complicated when they are abandoned by their husbands and family members.”
“Equipping women who have undergone fistula repair with self-sustaining skills can strengthen their capacity to care for themselves with a view to helping them reclaim their lives and return to their communities with pride and independence after treatment,” Chidinma Mbanasor, a midwife and reproductive health provider said.
During the program, which was held at the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, the participants attended sessions on skill acquisition and entrepreneurship, hygiene, and reproductive health. They were also empowered with free start-off packages in their chosen areas of interest.
Ms. Mbanasor was awarded a public diplomacy grant by the United States Consulate General in Lagos to carry out the project. Public Affairs Officer Darcy Zotter lauded Mbanasor’s advocacy for women and young girls, particularly survivors of obstetric fistula.
“Untreated fistula can have a devastating impact on women’s lives due to a whole range of physical, psychological, and socio-economic consequences. We applaud Ms. Chidinma Mbanasor’s renewed focus on Vesico-Vaginal Fistula survivors and for taking the bold step of providing support for them,” Public Affairs Officer Darcy Zotter said.
Contingent upon availability of funds, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos works with non-government organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, and individuals, through small grants, to provide financial support to a specific program or initiative that supports shared goals.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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