BeMore: Don’t give up on your Aspirations, show worthiness- Mrs Akeredolu urges girls

Wife of the Governor of Ondo State and Founder, BeMore Empowered Foundation, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has urged girls, especially those from low-income background not to give up on their aspirations due to life challenges.

She uttered this statement of encouragement while addressing over 380 girls participating in the 2022 Bemore Summer bootcamp for girls, holding at Mabest Academy Oke-ijebu, Akure, on Wednesday.

Addressing the girls shortly after their rehearsal of a song “Don’t Give up on Me”, by Andy Graham, the Ondo First Lady affirmed that, unarguably, some of the girls were facing one or two challenges in their families that’s capable of killing their morale to aim higher, but, appealed to them not to allow their background define their future.

She informed them that one of the reasons for initiating the Summer bootcamp was to groom them to aspire and go higher, and must therefore start to demonstrate worthiness when they leave the two weeks bootcamp.

“Say I’m worthy to go to University, I’m worthy to study engineering, nobody should tell me that engineering is for boys, I’m worthy to read medicine and study law.

“These are the determinations we are going to inculcate in you while you are here”. She added.

Reacting to the song, she said, “This song has something to do with me and also you. If you look at the song, it touches life experience; when you are going through unpleasant situation and tribulations in life, the song is telling you ‘don’t give up’. And for you girls, it’s also urging you not to give up.

“You all are from different backgrounds, some of you have challenges, some of you their parents cannot afford to live quality life, some of you, their parents, during school resumption will be running here and there looking for where to get money to pay school fees or buy one thing or the other because of challenges, and as a young person you will feel saddened to see your mate going back to school or having life so easy and you will feel depressed.

“So, this song is speaking to you that you don’t have to give up, even when things are really tough you continue moving”. She encouraged the girls.

Meanwhile, today’s activities started with the routine morning aerobic exercises to maintain fitness, and training on Taekwondo Martial art for self-defence in cases of attack or attempted rape by randy men.

Upon resuming to their classroom for major training sessions, officers from the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, took the girls through mental health and drug abuse.

ACP Yetunde Jeyifous, the Assistant State Commander in Charge of Drug Demand Reduction Unit in Ondo State, analysed the dangers inherent in using Drugs in an abnormal way.

She gave the girls remedy and coping skills, which are abilities required for young ones to resist the use of illicit drugs.

The NDLEA boss, therefore, charged the girls to make a healthy choice by saying No to Drugs, noting that one of the objectives of the BeMore Summer Bootcamp was to balance their mental health to be able make better decisions in life.

Shortly after the drug abuse lesson, the girls continued with introduction to computer system under Information and Communication Technology class. Facilitators from Matrix Lab engaged them on understanding key features of keyboard using basic digital literacy training manual.

The Ashdam Solar team led by Mrs Damilola Asaleye, started Solar technology class with a recap of yesterday’s training by engaging the girls with questions on climate change.

Ashdam Solar Academy further equipped the girls with lesson on effective leadership to prepare them as future female leaders.

Some of the Bemore Girls were, thereafter, called out by the facilitator of the leadership class, according to their SDG groups to speak on the topic as earlier taught.

The girls also learned needlework to do personal home stitching, and they applied the knowledge to write names on their Camp’s handbags for easy identification.