Brands
Always, the leading feminine care brand from
Procter&Gamble Nigeria organised an award ceremony to reward winners of its
Always #MyFutureStartsToday Essay Competition in Lagos, recently.
The Always #MyFutureStartsToday initiative started in August
this year with a viral video that showcased the story of some girls and the
challenges they faced. Girls between the ages of 11 and 16 were then invited to
send in their essays, talking about their dream careers and the challenges they
face as a girl. Out of the over 2,000 entries received, 100 winners emerged and
the winners were rewarded with a scholarship grant worth 100,000 naira each.
Speaking on the initiative, Tolu Adedeji, Brand Marketing Director, Procter&Gamble
Nigeria said, “When the video was launched, we were overwhelmed with the
response and support that we received
from everyone. It affirmed that starting up a conversation like the Always
#MyFutureStartsToday could help build a girl’s confidence.”
Following this essay competition is a mentorship programme
organised by Always in partnership with Women in Management, Business and
Public Service (WIMBIZ), an organisation that is committed to the
socio-economic development of young girls through capacity building, mentorship
and taught programs. Schools in Lagos state and Abuja, Federal Capital Territory will be selected for
the mentorship programme and girls in these schools will have the opportunity
of being mentored, enlightened and inspired to achieve their potentials.
Adedeji added that there are so many challenges facing the
girl child in Nigeria, as such, it is evident that girl education and
mentorship will not only benefit the girls, it will also impact the whole
society. “The education of girls is important for us. In fact, Always advocates
the empowerment of girls and women. In our bid to continue to contribute to
Nigeria and Nigerian girls and women, we have launched this platform to reach
more girls and help them to achieve their potential,” he said.
In her keynote address, Founder of Bella Naija, Uche Pedro
stated that it is important for girls to help girls realize that they can
achieve whatever they set out to do. “We live in a world where girls are often
told that they cannot achieve certain feats simply because they are girls but
that notion is wrong. I strongly believe that with confidence a girl can
achieve whatever she wants. This is why I joined Always in this campaign to
help girls dream big, and aspire towards their dreams,” Uche added.
The #MyFutureStartsToday initiative was motivated by the
result of a poll which was carried out by P&G earlier in the year. The poll
revealed that 61% of girls do not feel they have the right support to pursue
their preferred career choice. What this tells us is that girls face certain
limitations when they decide to follow their dreams, especially in a society
like ours
Expressing his happiness, a parent of an awardee, Christopher
Ameh appreciated Always for this wonderful initiative that inspires girls and
boosts their confidence. “I must say that this is an amazing initiative from
Always. Not only will it inspire girls to dream big and improve on the validity
of their dreams, it will also push them further towards the attainment of those
dreams,” Ameh said.
The #MyFutureStartsToday Campaign is working with Women who
have achieved success in their chosen career. These women include: Uche Pedro,
a Media Tech Entrepreneur and Founder of BellaNaija.com, Dr. Ola Orekunrin, The
founder, Flying Doctors Nigeria and Mercy Eghonghon, a Professional Nigerian
Pilot who started flying at age 17 and became a captain at 25years.
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