Welcome to Girls Power Initiative (GPI) Nigeria

TAMPEP Collaborates
National Sexuality Education
GPI Benin
GPI Trains New NGO
Calabar Centre Rally

TAMPEP Collaborates with GPI

The ALNIMA Project was brought to Nigeria by TAMPEP - an Italian based non-governmental organisation. The project which is aimed at providin girls who had been trafficked to Italy (from Almania, Nigeria and Morocco) with the necessary assistance that will enable them to be reintegrated back into their home countries, is co-ordinated in Benin City by Mr. Mourizo Ricci.

As part of the effort to empower victims of trafficking, TAMPEP in collaboration with Girls' Power Initiative, Edo State, Nigeria organised a comprehensive sexuality training with focus on personal empowerment for girls, from 17th - 21st (phase I) and 24th - 28th (phase II), January 2005.
The ALNIMA beneficiaries were in two groups. Group I were girls who were repatriated while Group II were vulnerable girls who had never been to abroad. Both groups received a 5-day training each on comprehensive sexuality with focus on personal empowerment.

There were 45 participants in the first group and 25 in the second group. At the end of the trainings, some participants commented that the training had enabled them to set goals for themselves, some said before the training they were shy and could not speak in public but had become bold and can speak for themselves. Others said, they developed high self-esteem, as well as had made them to know more about their body and how to take care of themselves.

National Sexuality Education: GPI Steps Up Teachers Training

Girls Power Initiative (GPI) has further added practical dimension to the federal government approved National Sexuality/Family Life Education programme, by training more teachers for its implementation in Cross River State.

Numbering 174 in all, the training beneficiaries who teach integrated science and social studies, were selected from 32 schools in the state

The training which began on October 4, 2004, was held at three points across the state; namely, Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja.

GPI Calabar/Uyo Centres Coordinator, Professor Bene Madunagu, who was represented by Imoh Bernard-Ekott, in her opening remarks during the opening ceremony, told the participants that 20% of Nigeria's population were between 10 and 19 years, regretting that it was sad that this huge number of adolescents would grow uup, ignorant of the critical issues of their sexuality.

Representative of the State's Education Commissioner, Mrs. Bassey Ikpeme and one of the resource persons, Mr. Adebayo Olabode of the Action Health Incorporated all praised GPI for showing strong commitment to ensuring that the programme was implemented for the good of Nigerian adolescents.

Earlier, in the opening ceremony of the training, the Chair of the occasion, Mrs. Eka Bassey, had noted that government approval of the National Sexuality Education programme was a timely response to the increasing incidence of sexually transmitted infections among young persons and thanked the MacArthur Foundation for providing resources for the training.

GPI Benin Centre Marks her fift edition of annual youth talent festival

The Benin Centre of GPI marked another edition of the youth talent festival on December, 13, 2004, at the Saidi Hotels, Benin City. This fifth edition of the festival was tagged “THE YOUTH TODAY THE ADULT TOMORROW.” As is usually the case, it is an occasion to display talents in keen competition. This edition of the festival saw nine talents competed for which were two new talents, namely BARBING (girls only), and BABY CARE (boys only). Others included CREATIVE ARTS, POSTER MAKING ESSAY WRITING, DRAMA, CULTURAL DANCE, POETRY, and SINGING.

Grace Osakue the coordinator of Edo/Delta states in her welcome address informed the participants and invited guests of the essence of the festival, which she said was to bring the GPI outreach schools to meet and compete with the GPI centre groups as one family. However invitation was extended to other schools that are not GPI outreach schools.

The forthy-four schools invited but fifteen eventually participated in the festival. Professionals from all works of life related to the talents competed for were invited as judges for the occasion.

A total of three hundred and twenty four persons registered which included thirty-three males and two hundred and ninety-one females.

During the refreshment period, the dynamic dance group of GPI centre girls entertained the participants/guests with a body-wriggling display. It was an event that culminated in the presentation of gifts to the winners and awards to the outstanding GPI centre girls. Below is the summary record of the winners

GPI Trains New NGO

The surge of HIV/AIDS has become a concern to individuals and the government of Nigeria. The research carried out by UNICEF since 1991shows a steady rise in HIV/AIDS cases, with that of 2003 at 5.5%. the need for more work to be done to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS brought a group of young persons together to form an NGO called ‘FREE HIV/AIDS Awareness Club. The NGO, whose vision is to create awareness on HIV/AIDS amongst youth, has Mr. Edward Omigie as the co-ordinator.

GPI Benin centre organized a one-day Training the Trainers Workshop on 8th November 2004 for members of the NGO on Personal Empowerment and Facilitation skills, so as to enable them utilize participatory methods in their programmes. At the end of the training, the co-ordinator expressed his appreciation to GPI and solicited for more of such gesture from GPI when the need arises.

Calabar Centre Rallies Against Trafficking

In order to raise public awareness on the dangers of trafficking in persons, the Cross River State Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons (CRS-CATIP), initiated by GPI, embarked on a sensitisation rally in three local government areas, namely Calabar South, Calabar Municipality, and Ekori Community in Yakuru.

Participants were representatives from 20 NGOs, GPI girls/graduates/staff and other friends of GPI, etc.

During the rally in Calabar and its environs, covered by television crew, interviews were granted to the media on the essence of the rally, posters, fliers and other information materials were distributed to members of the public. Also, T-Shirts and fez caps were equally given free to all the participants.

It would be important to observe that it was a success as awareness was raised, bcause many motorcylists did ask for the information materials as well as the high turn out of participants

Calabar Center

Uyo Center

Events