Tag: nigeria

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]In 2012, the African Women’s Development Fund published ‘Women Leading Africa‘, a series of conversations with African women leaders in the Arts, Feminist Spaces and Politics.

Throughout the work we do, AWDF staff regularly meet inspiring African women leaders from all walks of life. The ‘Women Leading Africa’ video series will share videos of inspirational African women who do amazing work in diverse communities. In the video below we introduce Josephine Nzerem, an Ashoka Fellow and also board chair of the Center for Advancement of Development Rights (CEADER), an AWDF grantee partner in Nigeria. In this video she talks about her work around disinheritance, and ensuring rights for widows.[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]En 2012, le Fonds Africain de développement de la femme a publié «Les Femmes gouvernent l’Afrique», une série de conversations avec des femmes leaders africains dans les arts, les espaces féministes et politiques.

Tout au long du travail que nous faisons, le personnel d’AWDF rencontre régulièrement des femmes africaines leaders inspirantes, de tous les horizons de la vie. Les “Femmes gouvernent l’Afrique” en série de vidéos fait partager des vidéos de femmes africaines inspirantes qui font un travail incroyable dans diverses communautés. Dans la vidéo ci-dessous nous introduisons Josephine Nzerem, une Ashoka Fellow et également présidente du conseil du Centre pour l’avancement des droits au développement (CEADER), un partenaire bénéficiaire d’AWDF au Nigeria. Dans cette vidéo, elle parle de son travail autour de l’exhérédation, et la garantie des droits des veuves.[/tp]

Between the 27th of May-7th of June, a team of AWDF staff visited grantee partners, and potential grantee partners in Lagos, Ibadan, Ile-Ife, Ilorin and Abuja.

The images below represent a photo essay of some of the grantees and potential grantees visited. All photography by Chika Oduah.

 

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a Pan-African grant making foundation based in Accra, Ghana. To date, AWDF has provided grant-making, capacity building and technical assistance to its network of over 1000 grantee partners in 42 African countries. In Nigeria, AWDF has supported 123 women’s rights and national organisations with over US$2.7 million in grant making. Grantee partners have included the following:

 

Project Alert on Violence Against Women – ‘Project Alert’ has been a grantee partner since 2003, and has benefited from US$177,800 in grant making. This has included supporting the building of ‘Sophia’s Place’, a shelter for women survivors of violence; capacity building support in fundraising and financial management for ‘Project Alert’ staff, as well as the delivery of a 6 month capacity building project on gender based violence for faith based organisations in Lagos State.

 

Ajegunle Community Project (ACP) – Since 2007, the Ajegunle Community Project has received US$77,500 in grant making. This funding has including supporting the training of women politicians, as well as professional development training for women seeking to take up leadership in public office. The Project Manager for ACP also benefited from attending a ‘Certificate Course in Resource Mobilisation’ organized by AWDF in conjunction with Resource Alliance (UK) and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. ACP credits this resource mobilization training for its current success in fundraising from the corporate sector.

 

Women Against Rape, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Exploitation (WARSHE) – WARSHE has received US$109,000 in grant making since 2003. The organisation provides psychosocial, financial and legal support to survivors of violence. A huge part of WARSHE’s work has involved educating young people about violence against women and young girls, as well the steps one can take if you have suffered from gender based violence.

 

Monitoring and evaluation visits are an essential part of AWDF’s work, and enables the organisation to engage directly with grantee partners, offer direct technical assistance, learn about key issues affecting grantees and women in the community, region or country, and is invaluable for tracking the success and impact of the work being done by African women’s organisations.

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Friday, (November 25), signed the gender-based violence bill passed into Law recently by the State House of Assembly, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The Assembly had passed the bill into Law on November 2, a day after it conducted a public hearing that attracted an unprecedented crowd, including wife of the Governor of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, to the hallowed chamber. The Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin; Chief of Staff, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu and some members of the state executive council witnessed the ceremony. The initiator and chief promoter of the Bill and Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, also led its co-sponsors and other stakeholders to the event, which coincided with the International Day of Violence Against Women.Other active players in the sponsorship of the bill were the state ministry of women affairs, social development & gender empowerment, office of the special adviser to the governor on planning and Millennium Development Goals, as well as the state chapter of International Federation of Women Lawyers.

The new Law was in response to gross abuses affecting individuals or groups disproportionately because of their sex across the state. It seeks to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women, children and a minority of men against physical, economic, mental or sexual harm or suffering, as well as threats of such acts,coercion and other deprivations of liberty within the public or private spheres. It frowns on harmful traditional practices, such as Female Genital Mutilation and widowhood rites; imposition of dress codes under any guise; child marriage and criminalising pregnancy outside marriage.

Addressing a press conference after the Bill was singed into Law, the wife of the governor disclosed that the journey that culminated into the eventual signing of the bill started exactly a year ago. She expressed gratitude to the governor, speaker and members of the House Assembly, particularly the House Committee on Women Affairs for working very hard to ensure the speedy passage and signing of the bill into Law. Erelu Fayemi said, “My joy knows no bound today. Exactly one year ago, that is on November 25, 2010, I led a delegation of women to pay a number of advocacy visits to His Excellency, the Governor.“We also went to the House of Assembly and the Judiciary. And those advocacy visits were to commemorate the International Day of Violence against Women.” During these visits, she said that the team requested the stakeholders to give assurances that there would be zero tolerance for all forms of abuse against women and girls, as well as for a legislation to protect women and girls from violence. Erelu Fayemi said that the lobby group also advocated provision of adequate financial, material and technical resources to promote women empowerment and gender equality across the state.She solicited the support of concerned individuals and groups to ensure the continued relevance of the new Law in the lives of ordinary citizens it seeks to protect.

Addressing the gathering, the governor noted that at least one in every five women had been physically or sexually abused at one time or the other, which he said was a universal reality in every society. He said it became expedient to put appropriate legislation in place to combat violence against women, given its devastating effect on women’s wellbeing and development. The governor said, “Cautions should be put in place for severe penalties against perpetrators, protection of victims and enhancement of public awareness on the danger of continued silence due to cultural influence and shame. “I wish to state here equivocally that the state government would continue to protect human rights and ensure justice takes its course against those who commit crimes rather than sweep it under carpet. “I enjoin all segments of the society, including the organised private sector, faith-based organisations and other non-state actors to get more involved in stemming the ugly trend of violence and abuse against women and girl-child.”[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Le gouverneur de l’État d’Ekiti, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, le vendredi (25 Novembre), a signé la loi sur la violence fondée sur le sexe dans la loi adoptée récemment par la Chambre d’état de l’Assemblée, à Ado-Ekiti, la capitale de l’Etat. L’Assemblée avait adopté le projet de loi le 2 Novembre, une journée après avoir tenu une audience publique qui a attiré une foule sans précédent, y compris l’épouse du gouverneur de l’État d’Oyo, Mme Florence Ajimobi, à la chambre sanctifié. Le vice-gouverneur de l’Etat, Mme Funmilayo Olayinka; Président de la Chambre de l’Assemblée, M. Adewale Omirin; Chef d’état-major, M. Yemi Adaramodu et certains membres du conseil exécutif de l’Etat ont assisté à la cérémonie. L’initiateur et principal promoteur du projet de loi et l’épouse du gouverneur, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, ont également conduit ses co-sponsors et autres parties prenantes à l’événement, qui a coïncidé avec la Journée internationale de la violence contre les femmes.D’autres acteurs dans le parrainage du projet de loi était le ministère de l’état d’affaires de la femme, le développement social et l’autonomisation des femmes, le bureau du conseiller spécial du gouverneur sur les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement et la planification, ainsi que le chapitre de l’État de la Fédération internationale des femmes juristes.

La nouvelle loi venait en réponse à des violations flagrantes affectant des individus ou des groupes de façon disproportionnée en raison de leur sexe à travers l’état. Il vise à protéger les droits de l’homme et des libertés fondamentales des femmes, des enfants et une minorité d’hommes contre un préjudice physique, économique, psychologique, sexuel ou des souffrances, ainsi que la menace de tels actes, la contrainte ou autres privations de liberté dans le public ou les sphères privées. Il fronce les sourcils sur les pratiques traditionnelles néfastes, comme les mutilations génitales féminines et les rites de veuvage; l’imposition de codes vestimentaires sous quelque forme; le mariage des enfants et de criminaliser la grossesse hors mariage.

Lors d’une conférence de presse après aue le projet de loi a été roussi dans la loi, l’épouse du gouverneur a révélé que le voyage qui a culminé dans la signature éventuelle du projet de loi a commencé il y a exactement un an. Elle a exprimé sa gratitude au gouverneur, au Président et des membres de l’Assembly House, en particulier le Comité de la Chambre des affaires des femmes pour travailler très fort pour assurer l’adoption rapide et la signature du projet de loi. Erelu Fayemi dit, “Ma joie ne connaît pas de limite aujourd’hui. Il ya exactement un an, soit le 25 Novembre 2010, je dirigeais une délégation de femmes afin de payer un certain nombre de visites de plaidoyer à Son Excellence le Gouverneur. “Nous sommes aussi allés à la Chambre de l’Assemblée et du pouvoir judiciaire. Et ces visites de plaidoyer étaient pour commémorer la Journée internationale de la violence à l’égard des femmes “. Au cours de ces visites, elle a dit que l’équipe a demandé aux intervenants de donner des garanties qu’il y aurait une tolérance zéro pour toutes les formes de violence contre les femmes et les filles, ainsi que pour une législation pour protéger les femmes et les filles contre la violence. Erelu Fayemi a déclaré que le groupe de pression a également préconisé la fourniture de ressources financières, ressources matérielles et techniques pour promouvoir l’autonomisation des femmes et l’égalité des sexes à travers le state.Elle a sollicité l’appui des individus et des groupes concernés pour assurer la pertinence de la nouvelle loi dans la vie des citoyens ordinaires, qu’elle cherche à protéger.

S’adressant à l’assemblée, le gouverneur a noté qu’au moins une femme sur cinq avaient été agressées physiquement ou sexuellement à un moment ou l’autre, ce qu’il a dit était une réalité universelle dans chaque société. Il a dit qu’il est devenu opportun de mettre une législation appropriée en place pour combattre la violence contre les femmes, compte tenu de son effet dévastateur sur le bien-être et le développement des femmes. Le gouverneur a déclaré, “Des mises en garde devraient être mises en place pour des sanctions sévères contre les auteurs, la protection des victimes et l’amélioration de la sensibilisation du public sur le danger du silence continue en raison de l’influence culturelle et la honte. «Je tiens à préciser ici que le gouvernement de l’État continuera à protéger les droits de l’homme et de garantir la justice, cela suit son cours contre ceux qui commettent des crimes plutôt que de balayer sous le tapis. «J’enjoins tous les segments de la société, y compris le secteur privé organisé, les organisations confessionnelles et d’autres acteurs non étatiques à participer davantage à endiguer la tendance hideuse de la violence et les abus contre les femmes et les filles.”[/tp]

Journey to Ekiti State, Nigeria

 

8^th June 2011. I am en route to Ekiti State for the very first time. As I board the Air Nigeria plane that will take me from Accra to Lagos for the first leg of my journey I am handed a copy of the National Mirror by one of the flight attendants. I scan the paper and my attention is caught by 2 headlines, “Conduct bureau urges public officers to publish assets”[i] and “EU to partner Ekiti on growth, development”[ii]. The first headline refers to the fact that the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Mrs Funmi Olayinka are the first political holders in office to declare and publish their assets. The second headline gives details of a visit to Ekiti state by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria “in view of the governor’s focus on reforms in governance”.

 

Reading a newspaper article on ‘the governor’s focus on reforms in governance’ is appropriate as it’s these very reforms that have led to my trip to Ekiti, Nigeria.

I am visiting Ekiti as part of AWDF’s work with the African Women Leaders Network for Reproductive Heath and Family Planning (AWLN). AWDF and the International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) are co-coordinators of the AWLN – a collective of 35 African women leaders who are critical change agents working on issues of women’s rights, reproductive health, social justice and development. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, President of AWDF and First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria is also a member of the AWLN.

 

AWLN as part of its strategy to mobilize greater commitment to addressing maternal health and a range of reproductive health concerns, seeks to partner with leaders who have prioritized these issues at political levels. The AWLN trip to Ekiti is to engage with the government of Ekiti who have shown commitment to prioritizing issues of maternal and reproductive health. Whilst running for office, Dr Fayemi campaigned on an 8-point agenda including ‘women’s development’, and ‘health’ as priority issues.

 

Meeting Ekiti’s Key Public Officials

9^th June 2011. An AWLN team comprising staff from International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) and AWDF as well as Nigerian based Network Members, H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, President of AWDF/First Lady of Ekiti State; Hon Saudatu Sani, Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on MDGs; participated in a reproductive health dialogue alongside key stakeholders in Ekiti including the Deputy Governor, H.E. Funmi Olayinka; Dr Wole Olugboji, Commissioner for Health; Ms Peju Babafemi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment; Dr D.K. Aina, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Rev. Olu Fatile, Director, Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria – South West Region. The occasion was also used as an opportunity to launch a ‘Maternal Health Record Book’ and a ‘Multiple Birth Trust Fund’.

 

Dr D.K. Aina set the tone for the dialogue with his presentation on “Policy Dimensions: Achievements and Challenges of Maternal Health Services in Ekiti State”. According to his presentation, some of the current structural, policy and legal provisions for the improvement of maternal health in Ekiti state include:

 

• The Deferral and Exemption Scheme, which ensures that the poor and vulnerable have access to maternal health services.
• The enactment of laws to protect women’s rights and reproductive health including the prohibition of harmful widowhood rites, female genital mutilation and gender violence.
• The existence of a Life Saving Skills centre to train nurses and midwives for maternal health purposes.

 

New policy initiatives outlined by Dr Aina included:

 

• The pending launch of free health care services for pregnant women
• A community based approach to the reporting of maternal mortality through the distribution of maternal mortality registers at palaces, churches, mosques and diverse focal areas in communities.

 

His presentation highlighted maternal health data in Ekiti state with women bearing an average of 5 children, 20% of women delivering in public health facilities, 15% in private facilities and 62% at home. Major challenges indentified in accessing health care include a lack of resources to pay for care, unavailability of drugs and concerns about healthcare providers.

 

Reproductive Health Dialogue

Hon Saudatu Sani shared that in her experience as a Member of Parliament from 2003-2011, and Chair of the MDG Committee, a lack of skilled workers in hospital was recognized as the key reason for poor reproductive health services. She challenged states like Ekiti to train more midwives by 2015 and stated, “Nigeria is at the driving seat where the MDGs are concerned.” Hon Saudatu Sani shared that a network of African parliamentarians have been mobilizing African governments to commit to the achievement of the MDGs and encouraged H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi to speak to the wives of other Governors on the subject of reproductive health. She further commended Her Excellency on inspiring the creation of a Maternal Health Record Book for the women of Ekiti state which she cited as a practical example of an action to support women’s reproductive health.

 

Sarah Mukasa, Director of Programmes at AWDF invited the Deputy Governor to share how they had succeeded in obtaining the commitment of Ekiti state for women’s reproductive health.

 

In her response, the Deputy Governor, H.E. Funmi Olayinka stated,

“The first success story is a First Lady who has ‘know how’. The second success story is a Governor who respects women and is passionate about women’s rights as well as the committed staff at the Ministry of Health”.

 

H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, President of AWDF/First Lady of Ekiti State and AWLN Member shared key lessons from the process of politicizing women’s reproductive health as follows,

“Partnerships are of critical importance. If officials at the Ministry of Health were not supportive, we wouldn’t have been able to create the maternal health record book, which was inspired by the work of the Nana Yaa Memorial Trust in Ghana, an AWDF grantee. This is another example of collaboration.”

 

Dr Wole Olugboji, Commissioner for Health attributed the success of prioritizing reproductive health to political will. He further stated, “those who continue the act of FGM will face the full penalty of the law”. Dr Olugboji encouraged the people of Ekiti to take family planning seriously. In his words, “Ekiti is an agricultural state and farmers know that if you plant crops too closely to one another your output will be poor. The same applies to giving birth to children. A space of 2 years is recommended between child delivery.” He also spoke about the benefits of vasectomy as a family planning method and expressed his willingness to lead the men in Ekiti State by example in this regard.

 

H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi commended the Commissioner for Health on his efforts and urged him to consider the example set by Edo state (a neighbour to Ekiti state), which has passed a ‘Reproductive Health Bill for Women’. She described the bill as a good model for Ekiti state.

 

Community Responses to Reproductive Health Dialogue

The reproductive health dialogue was extremely well attended with participants ranging from government officials, civil society organizations, health workers and members of the community who took the opportunity to dialogue with Ekiti’s senior politicians and public officials on the way forward for women’s reproductive health in the state.

 

Comments, feedback and questions from the floor included:

 

“The use of the maternal health record books should be entrenched in the curriculum of the training for health centres and nursing schools”.

 

“CBOs want to do advocacy on the maternal health books – we will target local communities, market women, etc”

 

“More training should be given to traditional birth attendants”

 

Dr Ladley, a consultant gynecologist affirmed her support for the further training of traditional birth attendant. She said, “…most people don’t come to hospitals. University students should be trained in the proper use of the pills. Girls are using abortions as preventative family planning.”

 

Dr Olomojobi, a health researcher made the following input, “There is no single maternal audit record in the state. Statistics are not available on which mothers have been assisted, who had complications, etc. There is a need for harmonization across the health sector in Ekiti. We need the support of the AWLN at the training and dissemination levels of the maternal health record book”.

 

Key ‘asks’ from the AWLN

Funmi Balogun of IPPFAR on behalf of the AWLN made key ‘asks’ of Ekiti’s public officials and promised that the AWLN would make a return trip to Ekiti to follow up on the following:

 

• Can you commit to dedicating 15% of your budget to health as per the Abuja declaration?

 

• How do we ensure standards for faith-based organizations where many people go to give birth?

 

• Sexual health education should start from schools.

 

Closing address by H.E. Funmi Olayinka, Deputy Governor, Ekiti State

In her closing address, H.E. Funmi Olayinka informed the audience that Ekiti State had on the 8^th of June 2011 become the first state in Nigeria to pass a “Gender Policy” in line with Nigeria’s national policy and international conventions with the support of H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi’s expertise.

 

She also confirmed that the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi will be reviewing the state’s budget for maternal health and stated, “ I reinstate the unreserved commitment of this administration to preserving and ensuring qualitative health care delivery to our citizens, particularly the women and children of Ekiti state.”

By: Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah

Programme Officer

African Women’s Development Fund

Saiadatu Bala Ahmed is a 22-year-old married woman from Adamawa State in Northern Nigeria. Saiada as she is usually called has had her life transformed after watching the Vagina monologues play (‘V’- monologues) in Lagos.

Saiada lives with her husband and 2 year old daughter in Apapa, a suburb of Lagos State. She is a member of The Ajegunle Community Project (ACP) a grantee organisation of AWDF. ACP seeks to reduce social inequalities among grassroots women and the girl-child. Saiada got married at the age of 17 years under duress and had to forfeit writing the West African Examinations because her father could no longer pay for her education. Her prospective husband promised to send her to school to complete her education after the marriage, alas this promise was a fallacy as her marriage turned out to be as abusive as any woman could imagine! Any reference to the promise to continue her education intensified the violence against her. Saiada was beaten, wrongly accused of adultery, thrown out of home, raped, denied her human rights and was even divorced once (according to her culture a wife is divorced four times before the marriage is finally dissolved). Saiada’s husband sacked her from her marital home when she was four months pregnant because a male neighbor was staring at her (her husband said he doubted he had made her pregnant). Saiada’s daily life was a nightmare, one of apprehension and violence! Certainly this could not be allowed to go on forever!

The turning point for Saiada was in 2006 when she was invited by the late founder of Ajegunle Community Foundation to join other young women to watch the “V-Monologues” play in Lagos. The “V- Monologue” resonates Saiada’s life story. “Every stage of the play was about me and my life, l felt so sad and l just told myself that this is it, these violations of my human rights must stop now. The play just gave me courage, confidence and strength, and l just discovered my voice and myself. I was ready to demand and take my rights from my husband no matter what, l was just ready” Saiada said. Such profound words indeed! Saiada had to be careful though; she was not just dealing with an abusive husband but also an obsessed one. She started off by posting posters with messages of violence against women on the walls of their room at places where he would never miss to notice. Messages such as “Do not allow any man to turn your body into a punching bag, it is your right to protect it”. “Against her will is against the law”. These messages continued for awhile but they almost also landed her into trouble with her husband. But this never deterred Saiada. She was determined and stood her ground, threatening to report her husband to the police if he beats her and saying she will use the marks on her body as evidence against him. The spark of audacity and determination in her eyes and actions sent a strong warning message to her husband to be careful with her, “this is the new Saiada Bala who is now well informed about her rights” she said. In order to gain his ‘masculine ego’ back, he asked her to stop attending the meetings at ACP but she refused and insisted she will continue to attend. He asked her to leave his house but she refused and reminded him that she was his wife and had to be divorced four times! He threatened to marry a second women but she told him she will simply move out and move on with her life. He used all sort of ploys to get her into a submissive demeanor but Saiada was now too well informed to be manipulated. He finally gave up!

Today, Saiada has completed a computer school with sponsorship from her husband and she is getting ready to go back to school to study diploma in sociology. “My husband is becoming a changed person now, thankfully the violence has stopped” she said. Saiada also has political aspirations and will like to go into mainstream politics one day. This is an awesome young lady with huge potentials that should be nurtured. She is highly recommended to attend the African women’s leadership institute and African feminist Forum.

“The Vagina Monologues, “V-monologues: The Nigerian Story” is a remake of the American version. The American version, written by Eve Ensler, was a catalogue of various monologues told by various women. A recurring theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of female empowerment, and the ultimate embodiment of individuality. However, the Nigerian version is a bit different. The play is aimed at raising awareness about various aspects of violence women and girls face in Nigeria.

The Vagina Monologues came to Nigeria for the first time in 2006 through Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) a grantee of AWDF. It has since evolved into a Nigerian version (The V-Monologues) infused with issues peculiar to the Nigerian cultural challenges with the use of Nigerian language and music.

Nafi Chinery

Capacity Building Officer (AWDF)

The display of youthful exuberance, intelligence, confidence and beauty attracted me to this young lady sitting in the mist of older ladies and who occasionally would chip in useful information about the organisation’s activities at a meeting with some staff members of Heal the Land Initiative, a grantee of AWDF at Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria. Ms. Peace Augustines is the third of six children born to Mr & Mrs Augustine from Abia States in Nigeria. Peace as she is affectionately called is 21 years old and lost both parents in 2002 to HIV&AIDs.

Soon after the death of her parents and at a young age of 16, Peace begun to feel the impact of HIV &AIDS as it perpetuates the cycle of poverty. As an orphan from a poor home she and her siblings were thrown out of their parent’s home, she abandoned her education and each one of them had to take care of themselves. The issue of survival becomes very critical here! Peace was lucky enough to have moved into her grandmother’s house, at least there shelter was assured, but then she had to assume a new role as head of the household at the expense of her education. Peace quickly found her survival strategy to raise income for her household’s upkeep; street hawking of pure water in the busy streets of Abia State was her new income generation activity. It was during one of her hawking activities that she was spotted by Ms. Doris Ugwu, the Executive Director of Heal the Land Initiative who also knew about her parents death. Doris, knowing this young lady decided to give her a chance to live a better life. Doris is HIV&AIDS positive and the first to publicly announce her status in Akwa Ibom. Understanding the impact of the disease on families and children especially, Doris decided to seek permission from Peace’s grandmother to allow her to sponsor Peace’s education whilst she continued to live with her grandmother to sit her West African Examination Council (WAEC) papers.

In 2008, Peace moved to live with Doris in Akwa Ibom State. She has written the joint matriculation examination board and will soon be writing her aptitude test to guarantee her a place in the university. Peace is a very ambitious young lady; she is looking forward to going to the University of Oyo to read psychology. She also dreams of being a philosopher, Peace believes she possesses a wealth of knowledge which she would like to pass on to other people to shape their lives for the better.

Peace has increased her knowledge on HIV&AIDs through her personal life and also through her engagement with HEAL the Land Initiative where she volunteers her time when she is not in school. Obviously Peace has had huge challenges in life, from her childhood to date; experiencing the suffering and death of her parents and its repercussion on her growing up. She said to me “It doesn’t matter what you go through in life you just don’t have to give up. I have learnt to improve on my knowledge, be vigilant and not to be taken advantages of by boys or men and to trust in God”.

• She has learnt never to stigmatise anyone no matter his or her situation.
• She has learnt to give back, and so she also wants to rescue other children from the street.
• She has built her confidence level; to her living positively is not the end of one’s life and she want to support others to live positively.
• She has learnt that maturity is not in age but in mind and character because that is the powerful tool one needs to win the community over.
• She has learnt to make friends she can influence positively and vice versa.

Unfortunately, not many children are or will be as lucky as Peace to be rescued off the street and given a decent life and an education. There are many more children who are continuously exposed to the hazards of ‘streetism’. It is therefore important that as development workers, women’s activists and donor organizations we begin to rethink the factors which fuel the spread of HIV such as gender inequality, conflict, migration, poverty, exclusion and the denial of basic rights as factors that cut right across the development agenda. Approximately 99% of those infected by HIV&AIDS live in developing countries and 12 million girls and boys are orphaned as a result of HIV&AIDS. HIV&AIDS is now one of the most powerful barriers to achieving the 2015 development targets in Africa, where it is now the leading cause of death.

Peace is a peer educator in schools and her community but how effective can she be if her actions and those of organisations like Heal the Land Initiative are not supported by decision and policy maker and all of us?

P.S: Peace is not positive

Nafi Chinery

Capacity Building Officer

AWDF