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Tag: International Day

  • International Day of Women in Science: Oando female engineers mentor pupils

    In commemoration of the 2019 International Day of Women and Girls in Science themed ‘Investment in Women in Science for Inclusive Green Growth’, Oando Plc led by a delegation of its female engineers mentored female pupils in one of the Oando Foundation adopted primary schools, Arch Bishop Taylor Primary School, Victoria Island, on the role and importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the world, why they are passionate about STEM and proud to have built successful careers in it.

    The aim of the programme was to provide a platform for the female engineers to engage female pupils towards considering and embracing STEM subjects for a future career in STEM by sharing real life and relatable stories that would inspire the young girls.

    In order to achieve full and equal access to, and participation in science for women and girls, and to further achieve gender equality and female empowerment, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 11 February of every year as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.  According to the United Nations (UN) “a significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under represented in these fields.”

    Globally, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women.  According to UNESCO data (2014 – 2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. Worldwide, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (three per cent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (five per cent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (eight per cent), Oando female engineers said.

    In a bid to fight the long-standing biases and gender stereotypes steering girls and women away from science related fields, a cross section of Oando’s female engineers spoke to the pupils on a wide range of STEM related topics, such as “why mathematics and science are important in the real world; opportunities that exist for girls/women in STEM, as well as games and engaging activities intended to stimulate the pupils’ interest in the sciences.

    It is interesting to note that research from different bodies are singular in their belief that there is little to no difference between boys’ and girls’ average ability in STEM subjects; however girls are still lagging behind boys in studying and in a career in STEM. In order to attract more girls to aspire to STEM careers, experts suggest the need to encourage young women through mentorship programs, creating an enabling environment and profiling women in science as role models. Such initiatives can inspire and encourage young women and girls to become more confident in their capabilities and can serve to empower aspiring and early-career women scientists.

    The lack of female interest in STEM related professions was reinforced during the mentorship session where 95 per cent of the mentees when asked what they aspired to be in future chose Arts and Humanities related professions whilst only a meagre five per cent chose STEM-related professions. However, after an invigorating day filled with activities aimed at rousing their interest in STEM, the girls were asked the same question at the end of the session and there was a remarkable 35 per cent increase in the number of girls interested in STEM-related professions.

    Principal Reservoir Engineer, Oando Energy Resources, Seun Solanke, one of the mentors, advised the girls to be proactive in their research into STEM-related careers, she also spoke extensively on what motivated her to a career in the sciences.

     

  • International Day of Activism: FIDA Lagos donates to sick children at LUTH

    The Lagos State Chapter of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria, has donated gifts to sick children hospitalised at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos.

    The gesture was part of the association’s activities to mark the United Nations’ 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

    The event is globally marked between November 25 and December 10 every year to raise awareness about violence inflicted on women and girls across the world.

    The theme for this year is: “The  World: #HearMeToo”..

    The women lawyers during the visit, donated gift items such as toiletries, mosquito nets, provisions, cereals  to the Ward E4 also known as FIDA Children Ward at LUTH.

    Speaking during the visit, the Chairperson, FIDA Lagos, Mrs. Ngozi Ogbolu, said the gesture  has been one of the major focuses of the association because of their passion for women and children.

    “We are here to visit the children in FIDA Ward E. This is FIDA Nigeria Ward in LUTH. The visit is part of the programme to commemorate 2018 16 days of activism  tagged: Violence against Women and the Girl Child. We  added the visitation to this Ward to our programs”, she  said.

    Noticing that doctors were on strike  during the visit, Ogbolu called on the government to make health sector its priority.

    “We noticed when we came that as against previous visit, we see more children in the ward.  We are urging government to take seriously anything  that has to do with women and children and their health in particular in this country. It is not an issue to joke with because anything can happen and they owe it a duty to protect citizens’ lives.

    “So, the government should make health sector its priority, ensuring that the doctors and  other medial personnel do not go on strike”, she added.

    Also speaking during the visit, Mrs. Adero Olagbegi Fadahunsi, a member of FIDA, who facilitated the visit on behalf of the association, explained that gender-based violence has become a global pandemic and a moral affront to most women and girls.

    She said the fact that FIDA Lagos  chose to commemorate the 16 days of activism by visiting  FIDA Children’s Ward at LUTH to show their affection for  the hospitalised children, adding that the association has  passion for children, the less privileged especially its activism against gender-based violence.

     

  • Maltina celebrates International Day with bus rides

    Malt drink brand, Maltina, from the stable of Nigerian Breweries, on Tuesday celebrated the International Day of Happiness by sharing happiness with commuters in Lagos.

    In line with the essence of Sharing Happiness, Maltina’s happiness ambassador; Happy the Mascot, made appearances across Lagos on the Happiness Bus ride to delight commuters and share the true meaning of happiness. The commuters also got a chance to be refreshed and revitalized with ice cold Maltina.

    The Happiness Bus rides happened on the Lagos BRT route along the Ikotun – Iyana Ipaja and LASU to Igando.

    Speaking on the initiative, the Portfolio manager, Non Alcoholic Drinks, Ngozi Nkwoji said; “This year in particular, the theme of the International Day of Happiness was “Share Happiness” which as we know is the essence of the Maltina brand. This presented an opportunity to indeed Share Happiness within our immediate environs. Every day is an opportunity to bring this essence to life and is something every individual must strive to do daily.”

    Nkwoji said that commuters were positively surprised when what typically is a routine trip turned out to be the one trip they did not want to end.

    “Maltina continues to extend its value proposition with new and engaging ways to bring smiles to people’s faces, whilst sticking to its brand ethos that a healthy you is a happy you. Maltina firmly believes in this ideology and is taking steps to remind everyday Nigerians of the subtle beautiful moments we sometimes overlook,” she added.

    The International Day of Happiness which is celebrated annually on March 20 is set aside as a reminder that progress goes beyond economic achievements and into increasing human happiness and well-being as a tool for prosperity.

  • Elders celebrate international day

    The Lagos State government yesterday marked the International Old Peoples Day, with a promise to provide better living condition for older persons.

    Speaking at the event held at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, said his administration would cater for the elderly.

    He said: ‘’Our administration place priority on the well-being of older persons. No society will flourish where the wisdom and participation of older persons are neglected.

    “The government is doing everything possible to provide welfare for older persons, such as free health care, prompt payment of pension, home for the elderly, among others. Arrangement has also been concluded for the establishment of modern community daycare centres for the elderly in the three senatorial districts, for which land has been allocated in Epe, Badagry and Alimosho.”

    The governor urged families to give the best to older persons, “who had laboured to bring the best out of them.”

    Commissioner for Youth and Social Development Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, said the elderly deserved to be celebrated because of their roles  in the society.

    She said: “Older persons play critical roles in our society. As we face multiple challenges, one factor remains constant; the timeless importance of the elderly and their invaluable contributions in raising the next generation of leaders is commendable.”

     

  • International Day of Older Persons Walk holds today 

    The Compassionates for Senior Citizens, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO)  will mark this year’s International Day of Older Persons today with a health walk from the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area,  Ondo Street, Apapa  Road, Ebute-Metta, Lagosto Yaba Local Council Development Area, Adekunle, Yaba, Lagos.

    Many senior citizens are expected to participate in the event tagged: “Walk to age gracefully”. Pupils from four schools – Methodist Girls’ High School, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos City College, Sabo, Yaba, Aje Comprehensive Girls’ School, Sabo, Yaba and Wesley Girls’ High School, Yaba are also expected to join the walk.

    The day will be rounded off with a lecture on the United Nations General Assembly’s Theme for the Year; Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society.  It will be deleivered by a senior lecturer in the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Dr. Omobolanle Ade-Ademilua.

  • International Day of Charity: Ex-deputy governor seeks sober reflection

    Former Deputy Governor of Benue State Stephen Lawani has called on Nigerians to spare a thought for the less privileged as the world marks International Day of Charity.

    Lawani, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, urged Nigerians to always remember the sick, motherless babies, widows and the aged.

    “As the world marks International Day of Charity, I wish to call on our brothers and sisters in Nigeria to continue to support all forms of charity work both in our immediate environment and outside.

    “For our world to be better, we must constantly show love to fellow citizens, even at the risk of some inconveniences. That is why on a day like this, we must encourage ourselves to continue working for the good of our neighbours and those we may come in contact with.  I know that for every good done to somebody in need, there is always a reward because the Almighty God notices.

    “As we are all aware, September 5 was set aside to create awareness and provide common platform for charity-related activities all over the world.

    “This day, it will be recalled, was also chosen to mark the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. This Catholic nun, who spent her life serving the poor and the needy, was yesterday canonised as a saint in the Catholic Church by the Pontiff, Pope Francis.

    “Therefore, as we mark this day, we should not forget that like Mother Teresa, we will be remembered for every good by both heaven and earth.”

  •  As the world marks International Day of Charity

    SIR:  It is widely noted that ‘God loves a cheerful giver’, which simply implies that one who gives freely and cheerfully will definitely receive his/her reward from God, in abundance.

    Charity, in a concise term, is a kind or generous attitude towards other people. In the same vein, it can be defined as money, gift, or time given to poor or less-privileged people. Some typical examples of charity include:

    Raising funds for the benefit of a certain person or cause.

    Contributing manual labour to help build a house for a low-income family.

    Setting aside half of your coffee money per month and granting that money to an organisation that helps the needy.

    Donating food, clothes, and other basic requirements to the motherless-babies homes, from time to time.

    Asking friends and family to donate money to a specific charity organisation rather than getting you gifts for birthdays and other anniversaries.

    On September 5, the world will mark the 2015 International Day of Charity. In recognition of charity’s key role in alleviating humanitarian crises and human suffering, in 2012 the United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated September 5 of every year as the International Day of Charity.

    The date was chosen in respect to the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa whose life and good works for some of the poorest of the poor and the downtrodden while on earth inspired several people across the world. In other words, the adoption of the day for the commemoration of the International Day of Charity was in honour of the late Mother Teresa because the deceased Amazon dedicated her life to the poor and other disadvantaged people around the globe.

    The idea of the International Day of Charity was proposed by Hungary with the aim of creating a universal platform to raise awareness on the importance of benevolent giving. Upon the initiative of Hungary, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution by consensus to designate 5th of September – the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa, as the International Day of Charity.

    The resolution was co-sponsored by the 44 member states representing all the five regions of the United Nations. The cross-regional support of the initiative reflects the universal recognition of charity and the apparent relevance of selfless giving or services in today’s world.

    In his introductory speech, the Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN – Mr. Csaba Korosi, highlighted that charity as a way of thinking, provides real social bonding and contributes immensely to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies. According to him, “Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care delivery, education, housing, and child protection. It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and natural heritage. It also promotes the rights of the marginalized and the underprivileged, as well as spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.”

    The first commemoration of the Day was held in 2013 at the UN Headquarters in New York, U.S.A; the event featured various panel discussions on the role of charity in poverty alleviation and in promoting access to clean water and sanitation in general, with distinguished guest speakers from the philanthropic community including the United Nations Foundation.  Therefore, the International Day of Charity is a day to remember those who are less-advantaged, and to take appropriate actions to help them. The UN set aside September 5 of every year as that day, so that we all would act collectively in order to alleviate the suffering and pains of the less-privileged around us.

    However, bear in mind that many people are doing charitable work every day, either individually or collectively. Needless to state unequivocally that every day is a golden opportunity to assist those that are in need; devoting our time coupled with money, would help to end the lingering unkind attitudes found among mankind.

    As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the third International Day of Charity as well as the anniversary of the late Mother Teresa, I candidly urge every individual and organisation worldwide to use this opportunity to promote their own projects and encourage charitable activities in their respective communities or societies.

     

    • Fred Doc Nwaozor

    frednwaozor@gmail.com

       

     

  • Did you know that the International Day of the African Child was Tuesday 16 Jun 2015?

    June 16 every year is dedicated to honouring  children killed protesting in Soweto, South Africa in 1976.

    Thousands of black schoolchildren took to the streets to protest the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of them were shot dead; and in the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand injured.

    To honour their courage and in memory of those killed, in 1991 the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) established the Day of the African Child. The Day also draws attention to the lives of African children today.

  • Children celebrate international day

    Children celebrate international day

    Has it ever occurred to you why international day is celebrated by educational institutions?”  This question was the question asked by a five-year-old Miss Mfeheke Okoko, a pupil of De Beautiful Beginning (DBB) School, Magodo, Lagos, during the school’s first International Day celebration. The young lady who wore gold India dress made this remark when she mounted the stage and addressed the guests, parents, teachers and her fellow students, to formally open the event which took place recently.

    “It worries me,” she continued, “to see my fellow black skinned man humiliated by a white man. I wonder if it has ever occurred to them that black or white, we are the same. This has necessitated the introduction of the young generation to diverse cultures we have in the world. The awareness of the different world cultures in children will help build an interest for other cultures in children, it will help develop appreciation and respect for their cultures.”

    The children wore the attires from each country they represented; countries such as India, Ghana, Brazil, Madagascar, Nigeria, Italy, Japan, South Africa, China, Egypt, Scotland and France. These countries presented various mouth-watering delicacies which they served guests.

    The Egyptians are associated with mummies, gold and Pharaohs; these were presented in the Egyptian tent as well as shawarma which they said originated from Egypt.

    Indians are known for their colourful wedding ceremony; a very short and colourful wedding was presented during the drama and dance presentation by the children who represented India.

    Present to witness the celebration was Miss Tourism 2014, Collete Nwadike. She said: “It is wonderful seeing such occasion where you bring children together and institute a sense of love, care and appreciation for other people, not just people from Nigeria, not just their tribe, not just their ethnic group but that of other countries, teaching them how to appreciate other countries and speaking their languages. This is the spirit of oneness; it makes them love other countries even though they have not been there.”

    Goge Africa celebrity couple presenters, Nneka and Isaac Moses, Ebele the Flutist, were among the judges and they picked the winners by the cuisine, information material, artworks, attire, and stage performances, organisation, etc.

    Scotland was third, second was South Africa and India was crowned the winner. There was a raffle draw in the course of the event and prizes were awarded to the winners. DeBB International day was supported by First Bank.

    The proprietress, Mrs Olubukola Ounleye, said it is important for children to know about other countries and their cultures. “We asked them to look at the similarities between Nigeria and other countries, and we discovered in the process of this that they didn’t know much about other countries. Most of them are used to travelling to the United Kingdom, United States and they think other countries are like that, this inspired the international day celebration.”

    Nigeria was not left out in the international day event, but her tent was not attractive like other tents and was not well represented in the drama, dance and other activities. “Every class was actually given a country to represent, so I guess what you saw was what they came up with. The International Day is about what each country can display,” said one the teacher, Mrs Irene Ebegbuna.

  • UN to observe International Day of Charity

    The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has adopted a resolution by consensus to designate September 5, the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa, as the International Day of Charity.

    The designation of the International Day of Charity will create a universal platform to enhance visibility, organise special events, create synergies and increase public support for charity. “Charity plays an important role in upholding the values and advancing the work of the UN,” said Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General.

    “Donations of time or money; volunteer engagement in one’s own community or on the other side of the world; acts of caring and kindness with no thought of recompense; these and other expressions of global solidarity help us in our shared quest to live together in harmony andbuild a peaceful future for all,” he added.

    The resolution was co-sponsored by 44 member- states representing five regions of the UN. The cross-regional support of the initiative reflects the universal recognition of charity and the enduring relevance of selfless giving in today’s world.

    “I welcome this first observance of the International Day of Charity, which was proclaimed last year by the UN General Assembly,” said Ki-moon.