Kenny Folarin, Abuja
As part of effort aimed at empowering the girl-child to become self-reliant and financially independent, the Butterfly Project has empowered 25 girls on skill development to ensure financial independence and unearth hidden potentials among the girl-child.
Project Coordinator, the Butterfly Project, Samantha Umar while speaking in Abuja over the weekend at the Butterfly Project Exhibition and Maiden Edition for the first 25 graduands stated that project is contributing her own quota to curbing poverty in the lives of girls by empowering them with skills so that they can become financially independent, support themselves, their family and the society at large.
According to Umar, the Butterfly Project, was initiated to solve the problems that girls are facing in the society such as child marriage, period poverty, lack of access to good and quality education which is as a result of poverty level in the society.
Umar explained that the project which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 1 (Eradicating extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030 is a pivotal goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) also aims at addressing the cycle of poverty by allowing girls to intern under the trusted leadership of a mentor to learn a skill and further empowering them with social support to build a network of self-reliant young ladies.
According to Umar, the Butterfly Project has been able to make the girls unearth hidden skill-set, passion and potentials that would have been wasted if not harnessed.
” We have many things keeping us back as girls, we have not been able to explore who we are, explore potentials within us, so the butterfly project is aimed at harnessing the skills that are in girls, breaking them out of those barriers that are keeping them and giving them ab inito sly into their dreams and be the woman that they envision to be, the women that we envision to become”.
She alluded that women and girls have the
ability to contribute to the society’s long-term development, and removing
economic barriers is one approach to assisting them in advocating for their rights.
“This is the driving force behind the Butterfly Project, a platform dedicated to
breaking down ‘cocoons’ (barriers) and empowering girls to achieve their full
potential”.
Umar however encouraged the girls that they are enough and have everything to be a great woman and envisioned destiny fulfilled through hardwork and dedication.
Deputy Coordinator, Global GLOW Nigeria, Blessing Archibong explained that the butterfly project was birthed by 5 girls who were selected from different states including the federal capital territory initiated how poverty can be tackled among the girl-child.
Archibong explained that the girls went through 3 month internship and afterwards the exhibition.
She noted that empowering a girl-child is key to herself, family and the nation at large.
“This is the maiden edition, this will be sustainable, if we can empower girls, from where you are with what you have, you can empower a Girl-Child because we believe if you empower a Girl-Child, she will go back and empower her family, community and nation”.
Communication Lead of the Butterfly Project, Haruna Anita stated that the butterfly project has impacted the girls by giving them the opportunity to participate in the communities on different skills also selling their products to support their education and their wellbeing.
She advised that ” Every girl should not rely solely on their parents, every girl is supposed to have a skill that will build her up to be a better person in the future and the future starts now”.
One of the mentors with Global Glow, Elizabeth Emecheta on her part stated that most of the issues the girl-child faces is caused mainly by the poverty level in the society.
Emecheta noted that beyond schooling, parents should do more by giving them the opportunity to acquire skills that they are passionate about, they should not push their children about on what skills to learn, rather ask them what they are passionate about and guide them.
” So if a girl acquire this skill they will be able to break out of poverty because look at what the girls have displayed they make money, fend for themselves and their families.
” For those that have benefited from this project, they should not end it all here, they should duplicate these skills with other girls”. She added.
Skills displayed at the event include Hair Styling, Baking, Fish Farming, Tailoring, Catering, and Make-up.
Others include, Photography, Shoemaking, Fabric Design, Writing and Poetry.
