Governor's wife dreams to empower the vulnerable in Africa

A governor's wife in Nigeria has launched an ambitious plan that seeks to raise the status of women in Africa.

Cross River State's Governor Benedict Ayade's wife Linda Ayade says her initiative will see millions of women benefit from it. "Women in Africa are still bedeviled by discrimination, disempowerment and poverty," said Dr Ayade. "I am solely driven by a strong desire to help the less fortunate in the society; this is an urge that started way back when I was a teenager when I deliberately chose to pursue medicine and surgery."

She says the initiative will run under the umbrella of a foundation known as Mediatrix Development Foundation in order to provide a suitable platform of assistance to the vulnerable. "The foundation will also lead an advocacy for the rights of children, women and the less privileged," she said.

The Chairman of the board of Mediatrix Development Foundation Manz Denga says the project has already gotten a nod from the United Nations, and it has shown its willingness to partner with the foundation. "It is a life-changing opportunity to the millions of vulnerable people in not only Nigeria but Africa at large," Mr Denga, a Harvard University graduate, said in an interview.

According to Mr Denga, the foundation will in the coming months prioritise interventions around the protection of children, social support for women and the aged as well as healthcare. In her appreciation of education as a powerful accelerator of sustainable development, Dr Ayade has already started making an in-road into education and literary with her essay and quiz competitions across West Africa. In the health bit, the foundation has set up the Hunt Malaria Initiative (HMI) to reduce the burden of malaria and its related diseases. 

"HMI employs a unique club system that operates in tertiary institutions, secondary and primary schools and in communities through collaborative efforts with various stakeholders," says Dr Ayade.

On the other hand, the Mother and Child Health Initiative will focus on sensitisation and regular health talks on family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention, amongst others. She hopes to hinge on her training and experience as a medical practitioner to take the campaign against HIV/AIDS scourge to every nook and crannies of the state and Africa at large "until no child is born with HIV/AIDS." 

UNAIDS Country Director in Nigeria, Bilali Camara has described the project as ‘a wonderful idea’ that will change the lives of many people in the continent. 

According to a 2007 UNICEF report, gender equality improves the lives of women and has a positive effect on child well-being and development.