The Female Youth Network (FYN) has launched a nationwide empowerment initiative to commemorate the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, with the goal of reaching over 250,000 Nigerian girls annually through school-based mentorship and leadership development programmes.
The initiative, unveiled in Abuja under the theme “Empowered Girls, Transformed Nation,” is known as the Girl Child Club (GCC). It is designed to equip girls with leadership, digital, climate, and entrepreneurial skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.
During the launch, Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was named the Grand Matron and Chairperson of the Council of Matrons for the programme.
Speaking at the event, the founder and President of the Female Youth Network, Comrade Ebere Ebenezer, said the initiative is more than just a programme. “It is a movement to raise confident, creative, and courageous girls who will lead change across every sphere of life,” she stated.
Ebenezer explained that through the Council of Matrons, the network seeks to connect established women leaders with young girls in schools to provide mentorship, sponsorship, and advocacy. She noted that the Girl Child Club has already started in 30 senior secondary schools across the FCT with the approval of the FCT Secondary Education Board (FCT-SEB).
She added that plans are in place to extend the programme to junior secondary and primary schools under the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and later to all 110 Federal Unity Schools in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education. “With 25 girls per club unit and three units per educational level, the initiative targets more than 23,000 girls annually in its pilot phase, and over 250,000 girls nationwide upon full implementation,” Ebenezer said.
The organisation called on government agencies, development partners, private sector players, and philanthropists to support the expansion of the Girl Child Club through the adoption of club units and the provision of digital learning and climate education tools. “We are building a national legacy where empowered girls will become tomorrow’s lawmakers, innovators, and nation builders,” Ebenezer added.
The Female Youth Network commended the Director and Secretary of the FCT-SEB for providing institutional support and guidance, describing his leadership as key to the project’s success.
Acknowledging others who contributed to the initiative, the organisation mentioned Hon. Rachel Ese, a member of the Board of the North Central Development Commission; Hon. Tony Nwulu, Director General of the Youth in Parliament Forum; and Hon. Amb. Solomon Adodo, President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).
Others recognized include Comrade Abubakar Muhammed, Chairman-in-Council of the North Central Youth Council (NCYC); Comrade Oyefeso Blessing, President of Nigeria Youths in Politics; and Comrade O. H. Akor, Founder of the Climate Champions Club and Special Assistant on Climate Change and Youth Resilience to the NYCN President.