Fringe Voices Development Foundation (Fringe Voices) in partnership with the Nigerian Women Trust Fund has organized a mentorship and coaching clinic for students and young women in Bayelsa State. The event took place last Friday at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Yenagoa, and attracted students from tertiary institutions and other young women across the state. The programme focused on career exploration, financial literacy, communication skills, leadership, and personal branding.
The clinic featured key speakers including the member representing Yenagoa Constituency One in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Chief (Mrs) Ayibnegiyefa Egba; Dr Oyintonyo Michael-Olomu, senior lecturer at the Federal University, Otuoke; Tariere Egbegi, State Lead, Nigeria Bar Association Women Forum; and Mrs Bogofanyo Inengibo, Programme Director, FACE Initiative.
In her opening remarks, the Executive Director of Fringe Voices Development Foundation, Tare Maureen Amananaghan, said the mentorship and coaching clinic is part of the organisation’s continuous campaign to strengthen institutions, promote women’s rights, and end violence against women and girls in Nigeria. She explained that the project was designed to empower young women for leadership and improve their participation in politics and governance.
“The project seeks to empower young women for leadership and improve their political participation. It also focuses on overcoming barriers to women’s involvement in politics and governance and strengthening the underrepresented groups in our society,” Amananaghan said.
She added that the initiative also aims to enhance the impact of women-led and women-focused organisations in addressing gender-based violence through mentorship and capacity building. “Additionally, it is geared towards equipping our young women with the skills and knowledge to engage in policy influencing, advocacy, and decision-making processes. And to empower young women through mentorship and capacity building to become effective leaders in their communities, advocate for gender equality, and contribute to the prevention and response to gender-based violence,” she stated.
Speaking during the session, Dr Oyintonyo Michael-Olomu described the programme as timely, especially in an era where many young people are struggling to identify their purpose. “Being young shows threat and it’s better you catch your vision. For those of us that are young, we should focus on the vision, stay true to it, and build all the capacity that will make us great in that direction,” she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Bogofanyo Inengibo, Programme Director, FACE Initiative, highlighted the increasing challenges faced by young women in today’s society due to stereotypes and declining moral values. She noted that mentorship remains crucial in shaping the mindset of young women toward personal growth and productivity.
“It is obvious that young girls still need a lot of support and mentorship in directing their thoughts line to areas that would benefit them and enhance their productivity in future. I want to advise young ladies to put their focus in building themselves and capacity. They can hook up to somebody who they admire and is doing great in their field and allow themselves to be mentored,” she advised.