H.E. Mrs. Toyin Saraki Receives Courtesy Call from the Nigerian Girl Guides Association Gwagwalada Area Council

Encourages girls to focus on gaining education and leadership skills to make a difference in their communities.

Sharing insight today during a courtesy call from the Nigerian Girl Guides Association Gwagwalada Area Council, the Wife of the Senate President and Founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, H.E. Mrs. Toyin Saraki, has encouraged young girls to focus on education and take up leadership roles in order to become effective change agents in their generation.

While giving girls access to quality education has the potential to transform communities and facilitate sustainable development; globally, 31 million girls of primary school age and 32 million girls of lower secondary school age are out of school, with sub-Saharan Africa suffering the lowest proportion of countries with gender parity in education.

Discussing the importance of education, Mrs. Saraki stated, “Education is key because it empowers girls by helping them achieve other basic human rights and breaking generational poverty cycles. Beyond personal fulfillment and growth, education is a source for social development and economic growth. In societies where women and men are more equal, economies grow faster; and general wellbeing is improved.”

H.E. Mrs. Toyin Saraki, who is also a long standing supporter of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), a signatory to the Girl Declaration – a call to action urging global leaders to put adolescent girls at the heart of the post-2015 agenda, and partner to the Girl Effect, used this courtesy call as an opportunity to encourage the girls and share the inspiring stories of some of the world’s leading girl advocates, whom she mentored at the 2015 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Girl Declaration VIP Mentoring Session.

Commending the Nigerian Girl Guides Association for their role in aiding young girls and women in becoming responsible citizens and accomplished leaders, Mrs. Saraki presented each girl in attendance with a copy of the Girl Declaration and World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scout (WAGGGS) Sustainable Development Goal badges. Mrs. Saraki further commended the coordinators of the Holy Rosary Girls College Girl Guides Area Council Gwagwalada for their work and efforts in empowering young adolescent girls to take a more visible and positive role in their community.

Urging the girls in attendance to take advantage of the opportunities and tools that they have been given, Mrs. Saraki also encouraged the girls to work towards becoming role models to other girls and young women within their communities.

Signed: Communications
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa
Email: communications@wellbeingfoundationnig.org
Web:  www.wbfafrica.org