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Nigeria Staff Urge #BringBackOurGirls

WfWI Nigerian Country Director Ngozi Eze calls for global action on social media to #BringBackOurGirls and ensure that the young women and girls kidnapped in Borno state are safely returned.

WfWI Nigerian Country Director Ngozi Eze calls for global action on social media to #BringBackOurGirls and ensure that the young women and girls kidnapped in Borno state are safely returned.

image-nigerian-staff-at-protest-for-#bringbackourgirls“On behalf of the 50,000 women graduates of our programs, we need your continued support and work to help bring back our girls.  Join the global campaign to raise awareness by tweeting a message of support using #BringBackOurGirls, share this blog on Facebook, and sign up for email updates from WfWI.

Our hearts are heavy with grief for the families of the young women and girls kidnapped. Together, we echo their calls for global action to ensure their daughters are safely returned home.

Everyone in Nigeria has been affected in some way by the brazen kidnapping.While our training programs in Nigeria do not operate near Chibok in the Borno state, we are deeply frustrated that the young women and girls have not been rescued and remain extremely vulnerable to exploitation, rape and violence.

The escalating threats of violence arrive at a moment in our nation when we see growing support for educating girls and boys. Across cultural and religious lines, we see a greater recognition that empowering and educating women and girls is a key to sustaining the long-term peace and promoting economic growth and political stability.

During these difficult times, we are committed to continuing our mission to help the most marginalized women in Nigeria strengthen their families and communities.  The kidnapping of these young women and girls represents a form of terror designed to frighten and discourage families from educating their children.

Educating girls and women is fundamental to rebuilding a strong and stable Nigeria, the security and ability to protect girls and women from violence is a key challenge that we must all embrace as we seek to build a peaceful and secure nation.

Since 2000, we have graduated over 51,000 women from our education and support programs. At Women for Women International we see the impact of this work — our graduates who at the time of enrollment earn on average $0.29 per day, two years after graduating, their income increases 10-fold to nearly $2.90 per day.

Our graduates are transforming their families and communities. They inspire changes as they increase their families’ income, access health education and services, learn and share knowledge about their rights, and find support networks to amplify their voices and calls for justice.”

For more insights, listen to Ngozi discuss the situation on NPR Affiliate WBEZ’s “Worldview” here.