To mark the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, the Lifelong Impact and Welfare Foundation has empowered over 2,000 teenage girls in Lagos through its signature programme, Empower Her 3.0 — a transformative initiative focused on building confidence, self-awareness, and leadership among young girls.
Held on October 10 at Gbagada Girls Junior Secondary School, Bariga, the event featured engaging sessions on menstrual hygiene, self-care, leadership, and resilience. The programme, now in its third edition, continues to provide young girls with practical life skills and a renewed sense of self-worth.
In her remarks, Jenny Ukpai, founder of the foundation and convener of the Empower Her initiative, expressed deep gratitude for the project’s rapid growth since its inception in 2023.
“When I started this initiative, the goal was to reach just 100 to 200 girls,” she shared. “Two years later, we’ve empowered more than 2,000 girls. It’s far beyond what I imagined, and I’m truly grateful to everyone who has believed in this vision.”
Ukpai reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to inspiring confidence and purpose among girls across Nigeria.
“Empower Her is more than an event—it’s a movement of love, confidence, and purpose. And we’re only just beginning,” she added.
The keynote speaker, Mrs. Olukemi Ogunsakin, Corporate Communications Manager at Rite Foods Limited, encouraged the students to embrace discipline, self-awareness, and self-value as tools for success.
“When a girl understands her worth and takes care of herself—physically, emotionally, and mentally—she becomes unstoppable,” Ogunsakin said. “That’s what makes ‘Empower Her’ such a beautiful initiative. It teaches that real strength begins with self-value.”
She also reaffirmed Rite Foods’ commitment to supporting youth-focused programmes that nurture the next generation of female leaders.
A highlight of the event was a student debate on the topic “Social Media: A Tool for Empowerment or a Distraction for the Girl Child?”
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Bright Oluwakemisola emerged as the overall winner, receiving a ₦100,000 cash prize.
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Oyeyemi Oluwadarasimi took second place with ₦20,000, while Olarenwaju Zainab and Oduemelam Saviour each received ₦10,000 for their performances.
Expressing her excitement, Oluwakemisola said:
“I’m thankful for the prize and for the pads we received today. It’s not every day people remember us like this. I’ve learned that taking care of myself is part of being strong.”
The event’s sponsors — including Rite Foods and several other partners — provided self-care kits, hygiene products, and refreshments to all participating students.
The Lifelong Impact and Welfare Foundation, founded by Jenny Ukpai, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering underprivileged communities through education, self-care advocacy, and personal development. Since its establishment, the foundation has reached hundreds of students through mentorship programmes and outreach projects, with Empower Her standing out as its flagship initiative.
Launched in 2023, Empower Her has grown into an annual campaign that equips teenage girls with menstrual hygiene education, self-care essentials, and leadership skills. This year’s edition set a new milestone — empowering 2,000 girls with hygiene kits and life lessons designed to strengthen their confidence, resilience, and vision for the future.
