Jennifer Okoliko is a remarkable young woman who is encouraging young women to overcome social challenges. Her vision to see women succeed in the society, birth the Girls Should thrive Initiative (GIST), originally Girls in search of truth. Enjoy as she shares her motivations with us.
- Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Jennifer Okoliko, born and raised in Northern Nigeria. A graduate of Petroleum Technology, a creative writer and the founder of GIST “Girls Should Thrive Initiative ”. I’m very passionate about seeing women like myself succeed and that’s why I’m committed to the actualization of my vision for women.
- What is GIST all about?
GIST is an NGO meaning Girls Should Thrive Initiative. It is a vision born out of the desire to see women succeed. It started in 2008 as Girls in Search of Truth and its main focus is to inspire and encourage young girls and women to overcome challenges.
- How far have you gone in impacting the lives of Nigerian women?
So far we’ve been able to accomplish quite a lot in a short period. One of the challenges we identified was the inability to maintain good hygiene during menstruation because some girls could not afford sanitary pads. So we began to address that issue by delivering health talks in schools and villages as well as distributing sanitary pads. This year we’ve been able to help about 500 women and girls. We also run an 8 weeks mentoring class for young girls in secondary schools to inspire and support them in charting a course for their future and this has impacted 20 girls so far.
- What do you think is limiting the Nigerian woman from living her potentials?
A major factor that limits the average Nigerian woman is the mindset that all she is capable of is just getting married and bearing children because that is what the society has taught them. Most women hardly believe that they are capable of becoming successful in life and hence they do not take education or anything else seriously.
- Kindly share some of your experience in trying to develop women across the country
Many girls miss at least one week of school during their periods because of the embarrassment of stained clothes as they opt for using rags when they cannot afford sanitary pads. A remarkable experience we had during a visitation was a community that stops their girls from school once they start their period because their parents believe that the stain on their clothes exposes them to sexual abuse and harassment when they go to school. So they are kept at home and made to hawk while they wait for a suitor.
Courtesy of GIST Initiative
- Have you encountered any challenges so far? If yes, how have you responded to them?
Some of the challenges we face are religious and social barriers where some people don’t believe in the use of sanitary towels. We are responding to this by building a cordial relationship with religious leaders and community heads so that we can gain access to help the girls through them.
- How have you been funding your projects?
We fund our projects through funds we raise from kind-hearted individuals that we connect with through our social media platforms and through personal relationships.
- What is the role of women in sustainable development?
Women are key in sustainable development because a woman has a larger sphere of influence. Whatever you succeed in teaching a woman will spread to the next generation through her children. So if we’re going to build anything that must be sustained then the role of women cannot be overemphasized.
- Do you think that there’s adequate awareness with regards to the role of women in sustainable development in Nigeria?
No, I don’t think that there is adequate awareness. many women, especially in rural communities, still carry the mindset that they are good for nothing but marriage and babies; and this mindset is being passed on to their daughters thereby limiting their involvement in contributing their quota in making the country better.
- As a country, are we doing enough to support women in the realisation of the SDGs?
I can’t deny the fact that we are trying. Many NGOs and organizations are carrying out projects to achieve this but we aren’t doing near enough. There’s still a whole lot the government can do to speed up the process and ensure we reach the goal before the set date.
- You have come a long way, where do you see GIST in the nearest future?
I see GIST institutionalizing its mentorship programs. We will establish a training Institute that is focused on raising female leaders and bridging the gap between older successful women and the younger generation
- How can interested individuals partner with GIST or volunteer for your projects?
Partners and volunteers can contact us via our website www.gistinspires.com.ng or send us an email info@gistinspires.com.ng or simply call 09072392520.