Centre for Girls Education (CGE), an Implementing Partners (IP) of the Safe Space Programme funded by Norwegian Government and supported by UNFPA, distributed solar powered radio to 9000 adolescent girls in three local government areas of Gombe State.
In Deba, headquarters of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, beneficiaries of the radio were earlier recruited and enrolled into safe space programme across three local government areas of Funakaye, Yamaltu/Deba and Kaltungo.
The distribution of the solar powered radio to the girls in the virtual safe space programme, therefore, followed an agreement signed between UNFPA and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under a three-year project titled “Intergrated Aporoach to Empowering Adolescents Girls and Women.
The project is being implemented in Gombe and Akwa Ibom states to enhance information on
sexual reproductive health.
The project is also aimed at improving quality sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age.
Dr Isiaku Mohammed, the Special Adviser, Budget Planning to the Gombe State Governor, while launching the distribution of the solar powered radio, said they were procured by UNFPA.
Mohammed, who is also the Coordinator of the activities of donor agencies, added that the project which started over a year ago, was suspended following the Coronavirus pandemic.
According to him, the solar powered radio will help the beneficiaries to listen to the episode recorded while at home.
He commended the development partners for what they have been doing in Gombe State, and assured that the radio would be utilised for the purpose meant for.
Dr Mardiya Abbas, the Board Member of CGE, advised the beneficiaries to put what they were taught into practice.
She commended the state government for the assistance giving to the centre in the state, adding that Gombe State is one of the few states that is committed.
Miss Faith Bawa, the Team Lead of CGE Gombe, said the programme was aimed at teaching adolescent girls critical skills.
She said through the episodes recorded on the radio given to the girls, there were some sessions that children were taught before the pandemic, during the normal school session to enable them to learn how to negotiate, communicate and how to relate with issues that happen at home as well as solutions.
Dr Habu Dahiru, the Gombe State Commissioner for Education, commended UNFPA, the Norwegian Government and CGE for the gesture, noting that the programme would help in developing the girl-child into womanhood.
He said “Governor Inuwa Yahaya has passion for education and the girl-child education in particular, that is why he declared a state of emergency on education when he assumed office”.
The Speaker, Gombe State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abubakar-Sadiq Karbala, said the radio would benefit the girls, children, the society and the state at large.
He appealed to the organisers of the programme to scale up the project to the remaining nine local government areas of the state and commended them for identifying Gombe as one of the beneficiaries of the project.
