To mark International Women’s Day 2025, a UK-based geoscientist, data scientist, and advocate for youth and women empowerment with a background in petroleum geoscience and extensive experience in data science and machine learning, Promise Ekeh has organized a one-day workshop on digital literacy education for Delta Secondary Schools across Warri and its environs on Friday, aimed at empowering young girls with the skills and confidence to pursue careers in technology, science, and leadership.

Under the auspices of ‘Empower Her Empower the Future’, the workshop was hosted at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Warri, Main Auditorium, bringing together around 220 secondary school girls comprising 11 schools across Warri and its surrounding areas.

During her welcome address, Ekeh underscored that the vision of ‘Empower Her’ is to establish a world where every girl, regardless of her background, possesses the tools and confidence to excel in STEM fields, leadership positions, and beyond. She noted that the initiative is a movement toward gender equity, ensuring young girls have equal access to opportunities in technology and leadership.

Adding, “The Empower Her initiative is driven by the mission to equip young girls with digital skills, leadership training, and access to mentorship opportunities to prepare them for the evolving job market and global stage.”

Lola Aworanti-Ekugo, a distinguished expert in digital technology and innovation, delivered a keynote speech in which she shared her journey and underscored the importance of perseverance, continuous learning, and embracing opportunities in STEM fields.

In addition, the event featured a distinguished lineup of inspiring female professionals from diverse backgrounds, including Mrs. Gbemi Anderson, Prof. Juliet Emudianuge, Pastor Adeshola Adebayo, Jolomi Adiotomre, and Dr. Zainab Titus, who delivered talks on personal development, digital literacy, and career pathways.

A major highlight of the day was a panel discussion that covered topics on students’ careers, challenges, and advice for overcoming barriers, as well as a quiz competition that tested students on STEM-related topics and awarded top performers with prizes, promoting a spirit of academic achievement.

In the aftermath of the workshop’s success, Ekeh disclosed that ‘Empower Her’ will initiate a year-long mentorship program for 30 carefully selected girls who demonstrated a strong passion, potential, and desire to excel in STEM, digital literacy, and leadership through their responses to various essay topics.

Highlighting the comprehensive support they would receive, including laptops and internet access throughout the program, to ensure they have the necessary resources to excel.

Reported by:
Fidelis Onakpoma
Head of Media and Strategic Communications IHRC Nigeria

The post IWD: UK-Based Data Scientist, Promise Ekeh Extends Digital Literacy Education to Delta Schools first appeared on ihrc.news.

From domestic violence and sexual abuse to denial of education, period poverty, and security challenges, girls are still subjected to numerous obstacles that hinder their development. The societal constructs in which they grow up often limit their opportunities, dictating their roles and aspirations from an early age. For instance, while boys might receive toy guns as gifts, girls are often given dolls—reinforcing traditional gender roles and expectations. Girls’ visions for the future should not be confined to beauty pageants but should encompass ambitions like excelling in science, finance, or any other discipline, on an equal footing with boys.

The world must provide an equitable playing field for both genders. The common saying, “Behind every successful man is a woman,” insinuates that a woman’s place is secondary, often undermining her own potential. Girls and boys are born equally, and neither is subordinate to the other. Instead of standing behind, women deserve to stand beside men—in partnership and equality. This is a message we must instill in our girls early on to help shape their visions for a better future.

As Queen of Ayegbe Kingdom, I am committed to supporting girls in both urban and rural communities by providing them with essential resources to meet their daily needs. Period poverty is one such barrier, often preventing girls from attending school due to a lack of access to menstrual products. To address this, my King, HRM Oba Olusola Michael Eniolapo, Apenaola I of Ayegbe Kingdom, has generously donated 50 hectares of land to the Queen’s Royal Charity. This land will be used as farmland for cultivating edible plants, with women and girls as the primary farmers—empowering them to learn agricultural skills for survival and self-sufficiency.

I am deeply grateful for this support, which will help uplift girls in our community. By addressing period poverty and providing educational opportunities, we aim to ensure that all girls can at least complete secondary education. We know that abused girls grow into abused women, which is why Ayegbe Kingdom is partnering with organizations and philanthropists, such as The Ishola Empire and the International Human Rights Commission, to guarantee the right to education for girls in underserved communities.

Our hope is that through these collaborations, we can improve the vision for the future of every girl child, ensuring that they grow up with the confidence and opportunities they deserve.

Reported:
HRM Queen Adesewa I of Ayegbe Kingdom
(Princess Dr. Yewande Okunoren-Oyekenu)
Queen and Global Health Ambassador of Ayegbe Kingdom
IHRC Ambassador in the United Kingdom and Multinational Volunteers Coordinator
for the Special Monitoring Mission of the International Human Rights Commission,
United Kingdom and North America Region.

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