Jozu for Women Inc appoints Etuk as ambassador for WanderSafe

JOZU for Women Inc, a global organisation pioneering personal safety solutions and empowerment has named She Forum Africa Founder, Inimfon Etuk, inaugural Goodwill Ambassador (Africa) for WanderSafe.

This is the first step as the organisation commits to providing technological infrastructure and solutions to address the pandemic of increased domestic and sexual violence against women and girls in Nigeria.

In a statement yesterday, Jozu for Women Inc. Founder, Stephenie Rodriguez, said: “We’re thrilled to formally demonstrate our commitment of impacting a billion lives by 2025 and the democratisation of safety in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“Our involvement with She Forum Africa and this important appointment is to lay a firmer and solution-oriented foundation for addressing the ‘Shadow Pandemic’ of a rise of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking in Africa as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Nigeria’s Women At Risk International Foundation, 10,000 young ladies in Nigeria experience sexual violence every day, and only 3.5 per cent receive any community help or support.”

With WanderSafe, the organization said it is acting on its commitment to the furtherance of several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals including: 3 – Health and Wellbeing, 5 – Gender Equality, 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, 10 – Reduced Inequalities, 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, and most importantly with this appointment, UN SDG 17 – Partnership for Goals.

“Every victim of a violent act has a direct impact on the community and the economy. We believe our solution can make a real difference and reduce the number of eventuated instances of assault by providing relevant location safety information, environmental awareness, and equipment (our Shakti Beacons) to defer an assault and to help stop the spread,” it stated.

The WanderSafe ecosystem includes a discreet, non-violent personal safety device that synchs using low level Bluetooth technology with a companion safety smartphone application (WanderSafe Beacon) free to download on iTunes and Google Play. The hardware aptly named ‘Shakti’ is a sleek, lightweight, discreet device that has safety features that incorporate US Central Intelligence Agency safety best practice with input from Thomas Pecora, a retired CIA safety and security veteran.

The free WanderSafe app allows users to set up safety tribes, and when activated the SOS feature of the Shakti starts an emergency protocol sending text messages that the user is in danger silently when activated. This innovative tech solution by Jozu for Women Inc is targeting global populations, particularly vulnerable groups to ensure more people live safe and sustainable lives.

“The appointment of Ms. Inimfon Etuk as WanderSafe’s Inaugural Goodwill Ambassador is the first step we’re taking to empower Nigerian suffers of domestic violence and intimidation, and we are delighted to be participating in She Forum Africa 2021,” said Rodriguez.