Save the Child Health and Empowerment Initiative (SACHEM), a Non-Governmental Organisation has called for collaborative efforts to help achieve the vision of a world free of all harmful practices affecting children’s health and gender-based problems.
This it said would also help to create opportunities for youth to thrive in their talents in Nigeria.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony of Save the Child Health and Empowerment Initiative (SACHEM), the founder of the organization Ms. Sylvia Nnuekwe referred to the data released by the World Health Organisation, WHO, that one in three women gives birth to experienced physical or sexual violence from their intimate or non-intimate partner in Nigeria.
She also lamented the alarming spate of gender and sexual-based violence in Nigeria saying; “It is very worrisome that 17 million Nigerian women have experienced intimate or non-intimate violence. This calls for the need for continuous education to make survivors not to be afraid of speaking out when they are victimized by perpetrators of Sexual and Gender-based violence.”
Throwing more light on her newly founded organization, Ms. Nnuekwe noted that, SACHEM is a non-profit organisation dedicated to making a lasting impact in the world and more importantly, the lives of the next generation here in Nigeria in terms of good health.
She said; “This initiative is based on my desire to create awareness and provide information and support for children and adolescent girls in Nigeria in the areas of health, hygiene, and safety. SACHEM also symbolizes my unwavering commitment to being part of the change I wish to see in the areas of health, environmental, and gender issues in Nigeria and I am glad that at 19, I am finally realizing this dream that I had while still in secondary school years ago. Our mission is to lay the foundation of good health and contribute to forming a healthy and safe world for children and adolescent girls to be empowered enough to fulfil their dreams while our goal is to build a sustainable platform for promoting children and adolescent girls’ health, hygiene, and gender-based needs in Nigeria in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, (SDG) goals 3 and 5.
“It may also interest you to know that our core values are equality, collaboration, innovation, service, and integrity and we hold strongly to them.”
According to Ms. Nnuekwe, children can only make the desired impact in their immediate communities and the world at large, if the nation gets it right in terms of keeping adolescent girls healthy both physically and mentally.
“For this reason, we plan to set up what we call ‘healthy girls for impact’ club in schools. It’s a health club for girls that is also open to boys to learn about sexual and reproductive health, hygiene, gender, and environmental based issues. I am delighted to announce that we’ve already commenced the outside school quarterly meetings of the ‘Healthy Girls for Impact’ club where part of the activities include free distribution of hygiene kits, health talk, and counseling by a team of expert mentors and counselors,” She said
The Co-Founder of SACHEM, Mrs. Constance Egwuatu said there was a need to aggressively address the issues of sexual violence, warning youths to desist from any form of sharp practices.
She advised them to be an advocator of a better Nigeria, urging the government to urgently declare a state of emergency on Sexual health education that will help to stem the trend in our society.
Mrs Egwuatu said; “The government needs to realize that there is a need to declare a state of emergency when it comes to sexual health education. Young people need to understand everything they need to know about sex education and every part of their bodies so that someone does not lure them into any act they don’t understand. The government needs to understand that there is a need to reintroduce sex education in schools in any form that we can so that we will able to this tide.”
She said; “To the youth, I will say humble beginning, think big but start little, because when you think big and you want to start big that’s where the problem is. I want to talk to young people out there, Let us take it easy, go gradually and you will see that you make it at the end of the day.”
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Legislative Affairs, Mr. Haruna Idoko commended the founder of SACHEM for the initiative.
Idoko noted that the State Government would continue to partner with the NGO towards putting an end to Gender and Sexual based Violence in the society.
“This is indeed a laudable initiative. We must commend the founder of SACHEM for coming up with this project and putting an end to this societal menace. Kogi State Government will partner with this organization towards ensuring that their mission and vision is achieved,” he noted.
In their various presentation, the current Miss Digitest, Aisha Abdulkadir, Isaac Uganeojo, and Princess Amechi both students of Federal Government College Abuja call on the Government at all levels of public-spirited individuals to protect Girl Child, and also provide free menstrual hygiene products to enhance healthy living for the Girl Child in Nigeria.
SACHEM has been carrying out free distribution of hygiene kits and health books to girls, physical workshops and training, performing arts, free counseling and rehabilitation as well as media campaigns to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
