As the 2021 BEMORE Summer Bootcamp for Girls naija takes a step further and spreads its root to Imo State, the founder and First Lady of Ondo State, Chief Betty-Anyanwu Akeredolu has reiterated her relentless determination to achieve gender parity through the initiative.
This, she intends to achieve by raising generation of women who would not allow the archaic ideologies that relegate female folks to deter them from reaching their full potential.
The Ada OWERE 1 made the assertions while officially declaring open 2021 BEMORE Summer Bootcamp in Owerri, the Imo State capital today.
Chief Betty-Anyanwu Akeredolu noted that she remained resolute to make the girls complete and techy women by providing them with limitless opportunities available for girls in other parts of the world through the BEMORE initiative.
She opined that the digital world that we are, is full of profitable economic opportunities and it’s gender neutral, and therefore enjoined the participants to be focused.
“In four years we have trained one thousand five hundred girls; girls that will change the narrative of the girl child; that will bring that balance to the gender world. We are here today to welcome another set of girls that will join their compatriots who already in the battle field, fighting for the cause of women, showing to the world that women can be more than what the society say they are.
My girls will stand for themselves.
“They will never play fool; they will never put all their dependence on any man. They will walk shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand with the male folk to achieve a prosperous society for us all. The duty is not for men alone. The duty is for persons of both gender to create a society that is free of violence; that is free from atrocities; that is free of all forms of intimidation and harassment.
“A society that must grow; a society that must be sustained is a society that does not discriminate by any means especially by gender.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Iyke Onuoha lauded Her Excellency for such a life-transforming initiative that’s aimed at correcting gender disparity in Africa society.
Onuoha, who described Chief Betty-Anyanwu Akeredolu as a talents hunter, expressed willingness to identify with her commitment to provide girls with equal opportunities that life could offer.
He affirmed that the global space, especially Africa is not favourable to the girl child as she lacks access to adequate opportunities like the boy child, and therefore berated the partriachy habit, noting that no gender was created with high intelligence than another.
He charged the girls to grab the opportunity and be good ambassadors of BEMORE Summer Bootcamp by not limiting themselves in acquiring all the skills available at the training.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Imo State BEMORE Coordinator, Mr. Rowland Onyekwu explained that the programme is the second edition in the state, just that the first edition didn’t involve camping of the girls.
“For parents gathered here today, be rest assured that your daughters are indeed in safe hands during this two-week vacation, as the Bemore bootcamp is set to transform them into complete individuals who will make impacts in society”, he said.
Dignitaries at the event included the Acting Permanent Secretary of Imo State Ministry of Power, Mrs Okonkwo who charged the girls to ensure they acquire formal education and vocational skills in order not to become liabilities
Two BEMORE Ambassadors, Marvelous Jegede and Kate Anderson shared their testimonies on how the skills they acquired at the BOOTCAMP changed their life, positively, as a motivation for the new recruits.
By Mary Agidi
Special Assistant on Media
August 17th, 2021
JATS Online News 