As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2024 International Day of the Girl-Child, non-governmental organisation, The Alokponi Foundation has called for urgent action to give hope to the girl-child across the country.
The demand was made by the Executive Director, Alokponi Foundation, Grace Akobi Grace, in a remark to mark the day.
Akobi maintained that the Day with the theme “Girls’ Vision for the Future” creates a platform that gives attention, therefore, recognizes their rights, values and unique challenges a girl-child faces around the world, and additionally, it is an opportunity to create awareness and eliminate gender based challenges.
In marking this year’s International Day of the Girl child, the Foundation is organising a quiz with participation from eight selected schools in Cross River North, where participating schools and students will win lots of prizes. According to the Foundation, “Participants in the Quiz, …would be composed of school girls from SS1 to SS 3, classes of which two from science and two from Arts subjects; English Language, Civic Education, Christian Religious Knowledge, Current Affairs, Physics, Chemistry, Agric Science, and Mathematics.
“The Prizes shall be two categories to be won; A. Schools Category: three best schools shall be chosen from the total of eight competing schools- 1st Prize – 100,000; 2nd Prize 70,000; and 3rd Prize: 50,000. B. Students/Girl Child Category: 1st Prize: 80,000; 2nd Prize: 60,000 and 3rd Prize: 40,000. Four consolation prizes of 20,000 each. C. Each participating student will take home one dozen exercise books.
Meanwhile, Government Secondary School, Ishibori, Ogoja; Holy Child Secondary School, Igoli Ogoja and Royal International School, Okuku Yala took 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions respectively. While Igbeku Comp Secondary School, Imaje, Yala; Klinicapps Academy, Yala; Mathias Offorboche Secondary School Okuku and St. Joseph Orphanage School, Ndum Mbube, Ogoja got consolation prizes.
Similarly, Three best Students Odey Maryalice from Royal International School Okuku Yala LGA emerged the overall best performing student. While Favour Akawo of Holy Child Secondary School, Igoli , Ogoja LGA and Deborah Imoyhy of Igbeku Comprehensive Secondary School Imaje, Yala LGA emerged second and third respectively.
She said: “This day, the 11th of October is set aside globally to Mark the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF A GIRL CHILD by the United Nation to give attention and recognise the rights, values and unique challenges a girl child faces around the world.
“It’s an opportunity to create awareness and eliminate gender based challenges that has confronted the girl child globally, this includes child marriages, poor learning opportunities, rapping and societal discriminations among others.
“The daughters of today’s society are filled with hope knowing that they are able to grow and develop in a healthy and just society where they are not criticized for being a girl child.
“The girls of yesterday has grown to be women who are now leaders, achievers, innovators; they are power with grace, a strict motivator with an inborn sense of love and compassion.
“Teach the girl child that her values will lead her and present her opportunities, her self esteem will help her conquer the world, her fears.”
Alokponi Foundation is a Nongovernmental organization established in 2020, focused on creating awareness on girl-child Issues, protection of the rights of girls, and advancing support for the girl-child.
The Alokponi Foundation Foundation has been known over the years for embarking on numerous projects and programmes to add value to the life of the girl-child she deserves.
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