NGO Launches Movement for Adolescent Girls in Nigeria

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

A non-governmental organisation, Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI), has launched the Pan-African Adolescent Girls Movement, an initiative of the Graça Machel Trust in Nigeria.

The launch brought to an end a three-day workshop where 10 adolescent girls were trained on public speaking, leadership, entrepreneurship, among other important subjects. They are expected to go into their communities and train other girls.

Speaking during the launch in Enugu State yesterday, the Executive Director of WEPBI, which is implementing the movement in Nigeria, Joy Oguadimma, said that it marks the birth of a transformative movement that places the voices of adolescent girls at the centre of Africa’s future.

“Through this partnership with the Graça Machel Trust, we aim to equip young girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead, innovate, and influence decisions that shape their lives and communities,” Oguadimma stated.

She noted that the movement is expected to ignite a new wave of leadership, resilience, and hope among young girls, ensuring that their dreams are not deferred but fully realised.

Earlier, the Programme Manager for the Graça Machel Trust, Dalree Lange, said that the Movement is part of a mission intended to give girls the skills, confidence, and support they need to become leaders and change makers in their communities.

“Guided by the conviction that every teenage girl deserves a safe space to learn, lead, and raise her voice, the Movement brings together young women, facilitators, and carefully selected local implementing partners,” she explained.

WEPBI is a women-led, non-governmental organisation dedicated to advancing women’s leadership, promoting peace, and fostering inclusive and sustainable development.