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Nigerian Writer, Wana Udobang Selected For Prestigious International Writing Programme

Nigerian writer, artist and broadcaster, Wana Udobang has been selected to participate in the 54th International Writing Programme (IWP) Fall Residency at the University of Iowa, courtesy of the United States Department of State.

The 11-week course will have Wana alongside 29 other writers from across the globe in the world’s oldest and largest multinational writing residency. The participants will give readings and lectures that share their work and cultures collaborate with artists from other genres and art forms, and travel to interact with audiences and literary communities across The United States.

In addition, the residency will provide the writers with a one-of-a-kind inter-cultural opportunity to forge productive relationships with colleagues and translators, and take part in the vibrant social and academic life of the University of Iowa as well as the larger American literary scene.

Sharing her joy at the development on Twitter, Wana said: “Your girl is going to be an international writing programme resident in IOWA in the spring next year. Still pinching myself. Hugging face❤”

United States Consul General Claire Pierangelo congratulated the Nigerian writer on her acceptance into the residency program. According to her, the goal of the IWP Fall Residency is to provide outstanding writers with a platform for cultural exchange and collaboration.

“This is an extremely competitive program and we are proud to have you represent Nigeria,” she said.

“Your accomplishments as a poet and writer are well-known and we hope this is an opportunity for you to take time to focus on your writing, connect with well-established writers from around the globe, learn more about the United States, and contribute to literature courses both at The University of Iowa and across the country.”

Wana Udobang popularly known as Wana Wana was born in Lagos, Nigeria.

She graduated with a first-class degree in Journalism.

She worked as a radio presenter and producer at 92.3 Inspiration FM in Lagos, Nigeria for over six years and hosted the television show “Airtel Touching Lives”. She is the producer of the documentary “Sensitive Skin” a documentary film about the skin condition, Psoriasis.

She is a public speaker in the areas of gender advocacy, youth mentorship and is a well sought after moderator in the creative and cultural space.

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Why Amazon Delivery Is Catering To The Needs Of Widows – Mercy Makinde

In the last few years, the Amazing Amazon Initiative has empowered over 20, 000 Nigerian women and school children through collaborations with corporate and government entities.

The Lagos-based women-centric organisation has been providing financial literacy, empowerment and child protection expertise to women in different states in Nigeria.

It recently launched a logistic and delivery arm, Amazon Delivery, with proceeds from the business aimed at providing help for women and children in need.

“Proceeds from our Amazon Delivery help our NGO to look after and empower victims of abuse and violence,” the founder of the Amazing Amazon Initiative and chief executive officer of the Amazon Delivery Mercy Makinde said.

“We cannot always rely on donors to give us all the money that we need every time. Of course, we need donations, but starting Amazon Delivery also offers a practical way of helping our women see how they can start their businesses. There are a lot of women out there who need our help.”

Amazon Delivery initially started with delivery in Lagos and its environs. It, however, scaled its operations to include nationwide and international deliveries.

“We realised that there are a lot of people in Nigeria who want to send different items to their friends, families and associates outside Nigeria. We plugged ourselves into that space even though there are big players there,” Makinde said.

“But we offer our customers competitive rates and excellent services by leveraging on technology. We ship to UAE, Australia, China, the United Kingdom and the US.”

The business is not without its challenges. Makinde, a seasoned entrepreneur herself, said her team is motivated to see that whatever success the delivery service has enjoyed since it started operations in May is not eroded.

“We owe that to the women and children that Amazing Amazon Initiative provides help to directly or indirectly,” Makinde said.

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Motherhood Nigeria Initiative Launches “Project Safe Birth”, Call For Partners

According to the World Health Organization,  Nigeria is the country where 20% of all global maternal deaths happen and also the largest country in Africa. The high number of maternal deaths in Nigeria, especially in the rural communities is due to unequal access to health services.

A safe birth kit with essential items will protect the life of mothers and babies during childbirth from infection.

According to the convener Abiodun Alabi;  “Motherhood Nigeria Initiative launched Project safe birth to reach out to pregnant women in underserved communities with the focus to educate and provide free safe birth kits include such as sterile blade, sterile gloves, antiseptic soap, antiseptic disinfection, cord clamp, mucus extractor, maternity pad and mentholated spirit. These basic items have a huge impact in preventing or responding to complications during childbirth.

Please support us to reach out to more pregnant women in Ogun state and Lagos state. A safe birth kit cost N3000, you can donate to sponsor a pregnant woman or more.

Send donations to; MotherhoodNg Support Service
Account Number: 1241168243
Bank:  Access Bank

For more enquiries;

Follow @motherhoodnigeria & @motherhoodnginitiative for more Information

motherhoodng@gmail.com call: 07088989373 Whatsapp: 07059742023

No woman deserves to die while giving birth.

#motherhoodnginitiative

#projectsafebirthng

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Adanwa: 3 Reasons Why Nigerians Should Marry Nigerians

Remember the one time when you were young and you stepped out at an African function and your aunty told you, “my dear, you better marry a Nigerian ohh”; or the time you were told: “I hope you know that your husband will be a Nigerian”. You wondered why they were even talking to you because you were only twelve years old.

Now, fast forward, and you are 28, getting ripe. To your aunties, probably overripe, looking for Mr. Right.

Of course, you have have your list of qualifications and requirements in hand: he must be this tall, have a degree, and hopefully not do drugs, never been to jail. Is the question of being Nigerian ever on the list?

People will always tell you love is blind; but is that because you choose not to see or play the cards you have been dealt? My mom says: “he that truly searcheth will find”. So, if you are really looking hard for a Nigerian spouse, won’t you get one?

We have all heard the rumors about the Yoruba demons or the wicked Igbo boys that every girl dates and swears she will never talk to a Nigerian man again, but they always come back. Obviously, everyone has different opinions and no one can stop love when it comes, but are you searching out for your dream Nigerian guy?

I can think of a few good reasons why:

Cultural Barrier

Nigerians have a rich culture, and so many different ethnic groups within a single nation. To find that you marry out of your nationality now, not only are they not from your country, they are also not your ethnicity. Wahala dey go.

Mixed weddings and cultural infusions are really cool in the photos, but Nigerian weddings are pretty complex and the last thing anyone wants to do is start trying to combine two completely different cultures into a perfect celebration on one night. Nevertheless, as previously stated, it can be done.

Preserve the Roots

A recent study by the National Geographic showed that by the year 2050, a majority of Americans will be multi-racial. Some say that this shows great strides ahead for the future of racial relations, but what does it say for the future of culture and ethnic backgrounds? Nigerians marrying Nigerians will have a great movement in preserving our culture for the coming generations. As a people, Nigerians have worked so hard to make their mark in the Western World; should we really allow our culture to evaporate for the sake of racial ambiguity?

Convenience

Needless to say, although a lot of people will disagree, it is easier to marry a Nigerian. Imagine all the nervousness you had in your heart when you had to introduce your significant other to your parents. You could either say, “Mom, this is my boyfriend and he’s from Ikeji” or “Mom, this is my boyfriend Alex and he’s…..(not Nigerian)”. There a lot of less cultural gaps to fill when someone is from the same country as you and a lot less stories to explain as well. Plus, he will understand why you drink Peak milk with your tea and bread or why you go to church on New Year’s Eve.

To sum it up, you will need to agree on religion, finance, and family planning as a couple to truly succeed as a Nigerian couple.

As many will argue, these are the reasons why a lot of Nigerian marriages fail. We will leave those for another discussion.

Love is love no matter how you name it and no matter who says I do. But for one Nigerian marriage enthusiast, the best way to fly is with green and white. Plus, Nigerian wedding photos make such great viral images on Instagram.

About Adanwa

The writer “adanwa” is a 20 year old Medical Student in the US. She enjoys reading, writing, cooking, staying fit, and blogging for carefreemedgirl.wordpress.com. Her friends would describe her as a Sports Fanatic and a Southern Belle. Needless to say, she is proud of her Nigerian heritage and is an advocate for African culture and society.

Source: Bellanaija.com

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#COVID19: Potential Vaccine Developed By Oxford University Shows Positive Response In Early Trial

A coronavirus vaccine being developed by scientists at Oxford University has been shown to produce a strong immune response, according to early-stage clinical trials.

British scientists/researchers first began testing the new vaccine in April in about 1,000 people, half of whom were given shots of the experimental vaccine. The vaccine, made from a combination of Covid-19 genetic material and a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees, caused the human body to produce antibodies against the disease and caused a reaction in T-cells, a type of white blood cell that helps prevent infection.

“We hope this means the immune system will remember the virus so that our vaccine will protect people for an extended period,” Andrew Pollard, lead author of the Oxford study, said in a statement released by AstraZeneca.

Phase 3 trials of the Oxford vaccine have already begun in Brazil, South Africa and Great Britain, and will soon be expanded to the United States. These trials each involve up to 30,000 volunteers who will help scientists understand whether the experimental vaccine can really prevent people from catching coronavirus and whether it is safe.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted about the latest trial results Monday,

“This is very positive news. A huge well done to our brilliant, world-leading scientists & researchers.”

 

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How Rwanda Is Spurring A Generation Of Women In Technology

In 2020, it was the only African country ranked in the top 10 of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.

It ranked in the top four in the Report’s political empowerment category, in recognition of the high proportion of Rwandese women lawmakers and ministers.

The country therefore seemed a natural fit for a 2018 pilot program of the African Development Bank’s Coding for Employment initiative, with Nigeria, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

The Coding for Employment flagship program is establishing 130 ICT centers for excellence in Africa, training 234,000 youths for employability and entrepreneurship to create over 9 million jobs.

Hendrina C. Doroba, Manager in the Education, Human Capital and Employment Division at the Bank, explains how Rwanda is empowering women in technology.

How has the government of Rwanda enabled women to pursue careers in technology, and STEM in general?

The government of Rwanda has been a foremost champion of women in ICT and in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (also known as STEM), by driving initiatives like the establishment of the Carnegie Mellon University-Africa campus, for which the Bank provided funding. Students from 17 different countries pursue highly specialized ICT skills at the Africa campus.

The country also hosts the African Institute of Mathematics (AIMS) which is now recruiting balanced cohorts of women and men. Lastly, the Bank-funded University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology has for many years produced women leaders in the ICT sector in Rwanda and globally.

Rwanda’s government also supports initiatives such as the Miss Geek Rwanda competition, an initiative of Girls in ICT Rwanda, which aims to encourage school-age girls, even those in remote areas, to develop innovative tech or business ideas and to generally immerse themselves in ICT. The Miss Geek initiative has now been rolled out in other countries in the region.

What role has the Bank played in supporting Rwanda’s digital strategy, especially in relation to women?

The strategy of the Bank’s Coding for Employment center of excellence in Rwanda has been to join forces with the Rwanda Coding Academy through a grant agreement to support the school’s activities, like ICT equipment, teacher training and career orientation. The Rwanda Coding Academy started in January 2019 and has so far enrolled one cohort, which is now going into their second year.

Besides the Rwanda Coding Academy, the Bank’s Coding for Employment program held a two-day masterclass for girls and young women entrepreneurs at the 2018 Youth Conneckt summit, where over 200 beneficiaries were trained in using digital tools to amplify their businesses. The session was attended by women entrepreneurs as well as students from girl schools in Kigali, including those from White Dove School, which is an all-girl school fully dedicated to training in ICT. The masterclass culminated into a pitching exercises from various groups who presented their ideas to a panel of judges.

What lessons can other African countries learn from Rwanda’s approach to the 4IR, in particular the role of women?

The government of Rwanda has been a trailblazer in using innovation to improve public services across the country using the e-governance platform Irembo, to bring government services closer to citizens. In addition, the government is driving national digital skilling campaigns by championing digital ambassador programs and platforms such as Smart Africa, which has organized the annual Transform Africa summit since 2013.

Still, gender equality remains a concern, and gender gaps are evident even in schools. Rwanda’s ambitions extend to piloting the Kigali Innovation City, also Bank-funded, to serve as the country’s knowledge and innovation hub by attracting new businesses and incubating ideas. At the same time, the country has created a business environment which is pro-entrepreneurship and welcomes global inventors to test their ideas and concepts. Zipline, a company which uses drones to deliver medical supplies in remote areas, is one example.

Lastly, Rwanda promotes women leaders in the ICT and innovation sector. The country’s Minister of ICT and Innovation is a woman, as is the CEO of the Irembo platform. Appointments such as these are helping to dispel the myth that women are not as capable as men in ICT.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Women Affairs Ministry Launches Sanitary Pads Distribution Project In Abuja

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, has launched a project to distribute about one million sanitary pads to women and teenage girls in the country in order to cushion the effect of COIVD-19.

Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, launched the project at Kado village, Abuja, in a ceremony organized by the ministry with support from Water Supply Sanitation and Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and other stakeholders to commemorate World Menstrual Health and Hygiene Day.

The Minister lamented lack of access to menstrual health and hygiene products, education and sanitation facilities by vulnerable women and teenage girls.

She disclosed that each beneficiary would receive at least four packs of sanitary towels.

According to her, the project tagged, “One Million Pads Distribution Project” targets adolescent girls in all states of the federation.

“This project is hinged on the fact that girls’ and women’s choices of menstrual hygiene materials are often limited by costs, availability and social norms. Therefore, providing access to menstrual hygiene products will go a long way to solve the problem to a great extent,” the Minister said.

She further commended development partners, especially WSSCC and others for providing technical and financial support to the Ministry for Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM).

She also applauded the First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari for her benevolence in supporting Nigerian women and girls and thanked Procter and Gamble for providing 4000 sanitary towels to kick off the first phase of the project.

While acknowledging that COVID-19 pandemic has further worsened access to menstrual management materials, Elizabeth Jeiyol, WSSCC National Coordinator for Nigeria urged all stakeholders to team up to change the negative social norms surrounding menstruation so that women and girls can practice menstruation in dignity.

She said: “Poor knowledge and understanding of menstruation may lead to unsafe hygienic practices for women and girls noting that access to menstrual hygiene materials is – a basic human right. Together, we can empower all women and girls to realize their full potentials everywhere in the world. It is commendable to see the contribution of other development partners including Action Against Hunger (AAH), United Purpose, NEWSAN, Youth WASH and OPS-WASH and numerous other CSOs to make this day a huge success.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that effective menstrual hygiene has direct and indirect effects on the overall well-being of women and girls – in the context of education, empowerment and health.

However, women and girls face continuous mental, physical and health traumas during their periods – as a result of discriminatory social norms, cultural taboos, supernatural beliefs, gender inequality, and limited access to basic services such as WASH facilities in private and public spaces which leads to ‘Period Poverty’ for women and girls across the world – especially in developing countries like Nigeria.”

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Asisat Oshoala Queries Africans’ Attitude To Women Football

Super Falcons Captain, Asisat Oshoala, is worried that despite the strides women football has made in recent times, Africans still do not accord the ladies the respect they deserve. The FC Barcelona Ladies top striker is particularly disturbed by the apathy those running the game in the continent display when it comes to women’s teams.

Speaking at the weekend, Oshoala faulted the outright cancellation of the 2020 African Women’s Cup of Nation’s by CAF, saying it was not the right direction “to take at this critical moment when women football is struggling to grow in the continent.” She said the decision further shows that women football is not regarded as an important aspect of life in Africa.

She argued that if it involved men or boys, the national federations would have risen against the cancellation.

“The news of the cancellation of the 2020 CAF Women’s Nations Cup was a shock to me because as a player, this is a tournament we all look forward to every two years. It would have been better if it was postponed and not totally cancelled. It is not fair on women footballers.

“If it were the men’s Nations Cup, the various football federations and the media would have been lamenting, making noise and mounting pressure on CAF to reverse the decision. But now that it is women football nobody is talking. Other women footballers in the continent are not delighted with the cancellation of the championship.”

She condemned the attitude of CAF and the other federations to women football, adding that poor funding has retarded the growth of women football in Africa.

“In 2016, Cameroun hosted the African Women Nations Cup and CAF was highly commended for a fantastic show. And now after four years, CAF was still contemplating in March if Nigeria or any other country would host the championship scheduled for November 2020.

“Notwithstanding the COVID-19 issue, this is not right. We are supposed to have gone beyond this level in Africa.

“At the FIFA level, the host of the next Women World Cup is already known. Women football in Africa needs help by the stakeholders showing more interest in the game,” she said.

Oshoala, however, expressed delight at the prospect of teams in the continent playing in the CAF Champions League, saying it would help in promoting the game across the continent.

“I thank CAF for this move, but I am not happy with the cancellation of the CAF Awards as it should be held visually by Zoom or any other online process. That would have saved CAF the cost of inviting people to a venue.

“I am not saying this for selfish reasons because I already have four awards. It is for the progress of the continent. This is the only award we look up to in Africa,” she added.

On the local scene, Oshoala said the Nigeria Football Federation should organise more quality friendly games for the Super Falcons to keep the team in shape.

“We, the players, have been discussing with the NFF to organise more games for us. Apart from the qualifiers, the team needs to meet often to make it easier for the players to blend well. This is why other teams in Europe are ahead of us. I believe after the sports lockdown, the NFF will look on it,” she said.

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NAWOJ Condemns Rising Cases Of Rape In Nigeria

The National Association of Women Journalists (NAWoJ), Plateau State chapter, has described as disturbing the increasing cases of rape and child molestation in the state.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s meeting at the Nigerian Union of Journalists’ (NUJ) Press Centre, NAWoJ called for concerted efforts to curtail the spiking and worrisome number of rape cases.

The communiqué signed by its chairperson, Madam Jennifer Yerima of the Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTVC), noted that women and young girls living where there are no toilet facilities are more vulnerable to being raped.

She also pointed out that minors are mostly raped by family members and neighbours, but their parents keep sealed lips for fear of stigmatisation.

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Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation To Support 40 couples with IVF In memory of Founder

Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IIF) announces the commencement of its 40at40 initiative in accordance with its founders last wish before she transited on Sunday 14th June, 2019. Her desire was to celebrate her 40th birthday which would have come up on the 19th of July by granting 40 couples in dire need of reproductive interventions a once in a lifetime opportunity to become parents. The board of IIF is determined to ensure that her last wish is fulfilled.

Speaking during the launch of the initiative, Chairman of the Foundation, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, said “We understand the emotional, psychological and financial strain that comes with pursuing fertility treatments and having gone through that pain herself, Ibidunni in her lifetime made it her life’s work to help desiring but struggling parents; we are committed to Ibidunni’s vision to give joy and keep hope alive.

Since her demise, IIF has enlarged and strengthened its board, governance structures have been put in place all in a bid to ensure capacity to deliver on her last wish and more. A transparent application and selection process has been put in place and we actively seek the support of everyone to keep this dream alive.

The Executive Secretary of the foundation Mrs Adedayo Richard also added that the annual activities the foundation was known for will continue, – The flagship IVF annual grants, the Mothers in waiting conference, the babies day out, hospital visits amongst many others. IIF, also known for their advocacy against stigmatization will continue their active sensitization programs.

As with most grants, the chairman noted that certain technicalities must be met by applicants to ensure that the grants are made available to those who need them the most. More Information on criteria is available on all the foundation’s platforms. Interested applicants and donors should visit the foundation’s website www.ibidunnifoundation.org

Those who wish to support the foundation financially and in other ways are  encouraged to do so.

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