Live Abundantly initiative to tackle women, children issues

With a vision to empower and achieve transformation in attitude towards women and children, Live Abundantly Empowerment Initiative, a charity organization is dedicated to changing lives through education, social awareness and advocacy. They are also committed to increasing social cognisance of those violated and/or marginalized by society due to poverty and birth defects.

Speaking to The Guardian recently on its activities, founder of the initiative Dr. Ama Onyerinma said that they are committed to create a platform for social consciousness and discourse as we strive to uphold the civil liberties of women and children regardless of their socio-economic standing.

“We will be hosting the maiden edition of the Live Abundantly empowerment initiative symposium slated for March 10 which will target public school students within the South-West. The aim is to create awareness and educate them on the prevalent issues of violence against women and children and the detrimental effect on families and communities as well as the socio-economic effect on the society and resources as a whole.

She also noted that they are partnering with the Destitute Children Center in Idimu which houses children who have been discarded by their families because they have physiological defects –Polio, Down syndrome.

“All these children are there and we want to ensure that education is provided for them, we want to make impact in the society and not lie waste. Parents shouldn’t allow their children to be thrown away because they look, think or act different.”

Dr. Onyerinma added that for women, they would be taught formally or informally depending on where they fall into. “When women are empowered and have an education, it changes the life of their children. If I know more and I know my children deserve more, then I will make it possible because I do not know a single mother that does not want more for her children. I am not here to give money or scholarships but actionable plans that can be replicated. ”

A member of the board of trustees Mr. Peter Armand Boyo said that the focus on secondary school children is to pass the message at an early stage. “At this stage, secondary school children begin to form relationships with the opposite gender. This is where they become aware socially and it’s very critical for them to understand that women have to be respected in every form of communication and contact with them.”

While another member, board of trustees, Prince Olugbenga Oguntayo said that the symposium will be repeated annually alongside other forums and events focused on different groups. “The essence of this symposium is to share information, the more information you have the better you are equipped to make decisions.

“We’re going to start in the Southwest and hopefully the message and programs that we initiate will be replicated in other areas but we have to start somewhere, we can’t take on an entire country, so the Southwest is where we’ll begin.”