Fatima Askira – Hope For Women And Girls
Fatima Askira, a 26-year-old Botany graduate of the University of Maiduguri, is making positive contributions towards alleviating the sufferings of girls/women who are displaced as a result of Boko Haram menace in north-east Nigeria.
For Askira, launching of Borno Women Development Initiative (BOWDI), a not-for-profitgirls/women organization, whose aim is to support and nurture various categories of women under 35years of age into developed women by educating and empowering them, is her little but significant contribution.
Askira’s vision is indeed a noble one. It is a ray of hope for the girl-child and for women in north-east Nigeria as it tends to rally support for their education and welfare.
In a way,that young Askira is using her little resources and the donations she gets from donors to better the lot of vulnerable women folk in her immediate environment is, of course, a challenge to those who have ignored the agonies of vulnerable women in IDP camps even though they are richer and better placed in the society than Askira.
Askira’s commitment to touching the lives of women – especially displaced Boko Haram victims – in her little way earned her more recognition and responsibility as shewas appointed the women leader of Arewa Youth Awareness Initiative (AYAIF) in 2014. Askira’s effort might appear little, but it is significant in that she strives to make life better for other women in her immediate environment.
Uche Jumbo- Screen Goddess With A Mission
Uche Jombo, a popular multi-award winning Nigerian actress, script writer and film producer, is no stranger to Nollywood fans. Though, she is a graduate of Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Calabar, she has made a good name and career for herself in the Nigerian movie industry, a field quite unrelated to her training.
Jombo started acting in her church drama group while growing up. Since her debut in a Nollywood movie with the title, Visa To Hell, in 1999, she has starred in over 60 movies as the lead character, winning several awards and acceptance from millions of Nollywood fans across Nigeria, Africa and the world.
Also, she has about 20 screenplays and 14 movies to her credit as an executive producer. She has produced some great movies which include:Nollywood Hustlers, Holding Hope, Damage, Broken Silence, My Life My Damage, The Place, A Mother’s Fight, Under Your Skin, Oge’s Sister, Almost Perfect,and lots more.
For jumbo, her passion is to help young Nigerians with dreams of becoming actors and actresses realize their dreams. She launched her NGO, UCHE and You.
Jombo’s hard work and commitment have not gone unrewarded. She is one of Globacom’s ambassadors. She alsowonan award as Best Actress by AfroNolly Group in 2008 in London, England, and The City People Entertainment award for Best Actress in 2010.
Murktar Ijaiya-Passion for Public Health
Murktar Ijiya belongs to the category of young public health professionals with a fast rising profile. Upon his graduation as a pharmacist from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, six years ago, Murktar proceeded to obtain a master’s degree in Public Health from Birmingham City University, UK, where he graduated with a distinction.
With his vast experience in public health research, data management, evidence-based health programming and intervention implementation, monitoring and evaluation, he is currently serving as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer on maternal and child health project with one of Nigeria’s leading NGO, Association for Reproductive and Family Health.
He is Nigeria’s representative for the African Youth Initiative for Public Health and Development (AfrPoD0), a non-profit youth-focused organization that prioritizes health and sustainable development through active participation of young people as valuable resources. Also, he is a member of Choice4Life, an advocacy group established in 2011, advocating for the implementation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP).
In May, he won a youth scholarship to attend the 4th Global Women Deliver Conference, the world’s largest global conference on the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women in the last decade, which held at Copenhagen, Denmark.
