JANUARY-FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
26th January, VHF organized the first Quarterly Review meeting for the year 2022 with our Community Women Peer Educators.
The Peer Educators are relevant to our Ongoing ActionAid SLOC-VAWG Project, aimed at teaching other women on Impacting Community Development and Changing harmful Socio-cultural Norms that powers VAWG .ActionAid International
ActionAid Team led by the Coordinator, South South SLOCVAWG Project, Vivian Efem Bassey on 27th January, 2022 were on an outcome harvesting/mentoring visit to Virgin Heart Foundation Owerri, Imo State .The visit was necessary to evaluate outcomes and impact, VHF is making through the SLOCVAWG project implemented in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA.VHF team were also privileged to more capacity Trainings by Communication Officer, Kehinde Afolabi .ActionAid International
In Commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, Virgin Heart Foundation sensitized the Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church Ogbenneisii, Ahiazu Mbaise on the Dangers of the Practice as well as Punishments stipulated for defaulters. #ZerotolerancetoFGM ActionAid
ActionAid NigeriaActionAid support Project @SLOCVAWG implemented by VHF in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA https://virginheartfoundation.org/ held Her Quarterly Review Meeting with the Peer Educators (Girl’s Right Club) #brilliantsecondary Ogbenneisii, Ahiazu Mbaise.One of the strategic Plans is changing Socio-Cultural Norms existing in the Schools and Communities, that power Violence Against Women and Girls.The Peer Educators understood the Assignment, that is teaching and Training others.We therefore, engage the girls in experience sharing and impact so far recorded in the school.The Project wants to prevent imminent dangers that may affect Women safe spaces, by mentoring and educating young minds.
FIRST REVIEW MEETING WITH GIRL’S RIGHT CLUB AS PEER EDUCATORS
A rare commitment by the Women Peer Educators.Step down Training of the 3 days ActionAid Nigeria Training on Strengthening Community Level Committee on strategies to prevent Violence Against Women and Girls. Step down was facilitated by VHF Peer Women Educators in the project community .
Virgin Heart Foundation met with the Boy’s Right Club (as Champions of Change) for their Quarterly Review Meeting .The Meeting helped us to initiate more innovative ways to reach out to the entire school and Communities on changing Socio-Cultural Norms powering Violence Against Women and Girls. Club Activities have been approved as part of School Curriculum in the two Project Schools.This is part of our sustainability plans in the Schools, where the clubs would continue even after the project.
VHF Women Peer Educators seek an end to Violence Against women.
Advocate for Female Representative in Eze’s Cabinet.
Virgin Heart Foundation peer educators from Ogbe, paid a courtesy visit to HRH Eze Pat Ihuoma in his palace today, the 22nd February 2022, seeking for his advocacy, and approval to create a committee in Ogbe community that will help to eradicate violence against women and girls and harmful socio cultural norms. Our spokesperson Ezinne Charity Ugwuibe, highlighted the need for the formation of the committee. Therefore one person will be chosen from the three villages and two from the Eze’s cabinet, it should consist of male and female, influential, educated and also those that have the interest of this project at heart. We also told the Eze our plans to visit the Ahiazu L.G chairman and the DPO in Ahiazu respectively. The Eze expressed his profound gratitude and joy over our official visit and assured us that this project has come to stay in ogbe and it’s environs because it’s a good one. He promised to assist us in making it a success. He also suggested that we should have an office and document all our activities. He also asked us to pick a date to meet with his cabinets, we should also come with our DG ms Peace Dike, that day we will select the committee members. When asked if he has a woman in his cabinets, he said no but promised to install one soon. His maximum support gave us hope and confidence. Thanks.
Those in attendance are Ezinne Charity Ugwuibe, Amb Mrs Nkem Nwosu, Eziada Theresa Nwoko, Mrs Georgenia Nwosu and Mrs Ogadimma Ogu.
ActionAid Nigeria
VHF Monitoring Visit During Peer Session at Obiwuruotu Umuoma Women Wing, Ogbe. Virgin Heart Foundation with support from Actionaid Nigeria embarked on its quarterly Monitoring Visit to Peer Educators during peer session with Umuoma Women Wing, Ogbe. The Facilitators and Leaders of the Women Wing, Mrs Nkem Nwosu and her Partner, Mrs. Georgina Nwosu sensitized the women on the types of Violence Women face and ways women can support each other overcome these Socio-Cultural Norms in the Communities. VHF Team reminded the women of the need to see the outcomes of the project following engagement of the group through the peer Education manuals. The team further embarked on group discussions on the need to change harmful practices that shrink women space spaces in the Community. 1. Mrs. Catechist Maria Assumpta decries the inequality associated with Widowhood, who are subjected into various degrees of ill and harsh condition. She called on the group to henceforth withdraw from such harmful widowhood practices against fellow women. Mrs. Maria Assumpta used the medium to declare her interest to contest for the position of a Councillor in Ahiazu Mbaise. Mrs. Jecinta Eleka expressed fear of the safety of Women and Girls in Public places, recounting her experience at the Community Market with alleged perpetrator almost following her while she went to ease herself. Other discussions bordered on Practice of Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting and incestuous Violence in the Communities. The Group outlined an Action Plan to take inorder to address’s these issues. 1. Umuoma Women agreed to show solidarity to any woman who is maltreated by her spouse by protesting in their group. 2. Women of Umuoma declared to support one of them who indicated interest to contest in Council Election, 2023. 3. Due to the harassment in Public Places, Women of Umuoma Ogbe have decided to write to the Traditional Ruler to give an order through the various market taskforce and Vigilant Groups against threats of Violence traceable in Public places, especially the markets. 4. Umuoma Women have resolved to report cases of Violence to their leader.ActionAid Nigeria
VHF paid an Advocacy Visit to HRH, Traditional Ruler Ogbe 1, Ahiazu Mbaise, Eze Ihuoma to seek his Support and involvement in Constituting a VAWG Community Committee.This is inline with Women Peer Educators Action Plans towards ending Violence Against Women and Girls and most importantly, ensuring sustainability of SLOC-VAWG project in the Community. Ezinne Charity UGWUIBE and her team further requested that the leadership would see the project as a project the community can accept as theirs in creating safe spaces for Women and Girls. Director, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Imo State, Chapter, Ukachi Ukah called on the Traditional Cabinet of the Community to gradually withdraw from practices capable of demeaning women or shrinking their safe spaces.