Int’l Day of Girl Child: Gombe MWAN, NYDF inspire girls on self-esteem
National Young Doctors’ Forum of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Gombe, in collaboration with BudgIT on Wednesday, marked the International Day of the Girl Child at Government Day Secondary School, Gandu.
The programme held at Aishatu Jibir Dukku Hall with female students of the school featured presentations by senior and young doctors, Staff of Ulcer Aid, tracka community sensitisation and the representatives of Ministry of Women Affairs.
In an address the representative of Women Affairs Mrs Deborah Luka, charged the girls to study hard and shun any immoral act to be responsible citizens.
She charged the girls not to be deceived or be lured by friends but to fear God and respect their elders.
Barrister Martha Daniel of tracka community sensitisation, urged them to be focused, disciplined and carry themselves with self esteem.
She urged the girls to speak out if they are abused or violated saying if they do so other girls will be saved and perpetrators be brought back
Daniel said every girl child has the right to live and be educated like her male counterpart saying the girl child needed to be empowered to make informed decision
Dr Fatima Usman and Dr Halima Abdulkarim in a talk said the girl-child faces multiple challenges while growing but that should not deter her from attaining her full potentials in life.
They advised girls to be courageous and determined to learn to become professionals in respect fields of their desire
The doctors stressed the need for them to maintain personal and environmental hygiene and socialise with the right peers who will encourage and inspire them to be great Women in future.
Some student doctors Jemimah Hosea, and Talatu Yusuf, who served as role models to the girls said with hard work and determination they can become whatever they want to in future
A consultant Pediatrician with the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe and member of the medical women’s association of Nigeria, Gombe, Dr Mercy Raymond, who narrated her story on how she became a consultant said her father died when she was four years but with support and hard work of her mother, she was able to complete her medical school.
Raymond said she studied hard to succeed in life and today her mother is proud of her .
The National Coordinator of Young Doctors’ Forum for Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Dr Safiya Tanko, said the event was organised to inspire the girls and guide them on career choices.
She said salient issues at the event is for the girls to take their education seriously and urged parents and guardians to invest in the education, health and other well being of their girl children .
Tanko said the theme of this year’s international day of the girl child, “Invest in the girls rights: Our leadership our right, is a call on government and stakeholders to focus on investing in the girl child to attain her full potential
She called on government to support education of the girl-child to at least secondary school level.
The Senior Head Teacher of GDSS Gandu, Mrs Uwa Jacinta Iliya, appreciated the doctors for the sensitisation and urged the girls to put to use lessons learnt.
