Fabmimi News: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL 2016:GLAMODI Mentors Final Year College Girls In Benue State To Achieve Their Goals In Life. PHOTOS

11th October is the international day of the girl child, an international observance day first marked by the United Nations in 2012.

A day set aside to highlight the problems of gender inequality and to promote support for the girl child. Access to education, private part mutilation, child marriage are just some of the issues the girl child faces.

In line with this year's theme “Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: What Counts for Girls, Glamorous Mothers Dev Initiative ,[GLAMODI] on tuesday joined the rest of the world to celebrate the international Day of the Girl Child.

Speaking with journalists at the event to mark the Girl Child Day,Executive Director of GLAMODI Mrs Stephanie Apel outlined the essence of this year's mentoring summit which is to educate and strengthen the girl child to achieve her goals in life.

It is for this reason that GLAMODI in collaboration with other organisations held a mentoring summit for final year college girls around Benue State at the JS Tarka Foundation Makurdi, Benue State.The essence of the summit is to educate and strengthen them to meets their goals in life.

Benue state First Lady and special guest of honour at the event Mrs Eunice Ortom in her address commended the convener for this initiative.

She noted that the time has come for everyone to remove roadblocks that prevent the girl child from benefiting maximally from formal education that is key to unlocking their full potentials to enable them contribute meaningfully in the economic, social and political life of their environment.

Mrs Ortom duly noted with concern, persistent attacks on children, particularly girls, which has forced them out of school thus exposing them to many ills in the society.

She admonished all girls in the country that are privileged to be in school to study hard and make the best opportunity out of life.

Others who made presentations at the summit were Chairman Benue Inland Revenue Service Mrs Mimi Orubibi,who spoke on Standing Out as a Girl in a Male Dominated World, while Mrs. Jennifer Iwanger Igoh served as a Motivational speaker and one of the panelists ,Stephanie Uyi Odinuwe discussed Personal Hygiene Management.

Special Adviser to the Gov on SDGs,NEPAD, Dr. Magdalene Dura, who was represented by her SA encouraged the girl child to avoid early marriage, which puts women at risk of HIV/AIDS.

Other panelists, Arc. Nguvan Kyenge, Linda Ochagla and Dr. Alueshima Utsaha discussed ''Evaluating Girls Progress, Challenges and the way forward and after that,there was a question and answer session.

In his remarks Nigerian film Director/Producer who is also the convener's husband Mr Paul Apel , expressed hope that the students would take home lessons from the summit and soar higher. He urged them to open their minds to learn and expressed hope that great things will keep coming to Benue State.

Highlights of the day was presentation of Glamodi Lifetime Achievement award to Chief Mrs. Helen Awuna and Glamodi Solid and Gifted award to Arc. Nguvan Kyenge.

This year's mentoring summit was supported by Eunice Spring Of Life Foundation,Papel Image Tech Nig. Ltd, Zitadel Medicals, Beta Malt and the Member representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, Honourable Dickson Tarkighir.

In her vote of thanks,Mrs Apel thank all partners who made the summit a success as well as those who graced the event while praying God to bless them richly.

Only girls schools attended the summit .This is the fourth edition of BGS..see photos.