… Extends support amid insecurity
The Initiative for Girl’s Rights and Health Development (IGRHD) has awarded educational scholarships to 20 indigent girls in Akinlalu community under its “Educate, Don’t Mutilate” Scholarship Scheme, aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy and promoting girl-child education.
The outreach, held recently in the Akinlalu community of Osun State, also featured the distribution of essential food items to hundreds of residents. The gesture was part of IGRHD’s ongoing effort to empower vulnerable girls through education while providing relief to struggling families.
In addition to providing scholarships and food support, IGRHD engaged traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community stakeholders in a series of sensitization sessions against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the rising incidence of unplanned teenage pregnancies. The dialogues focused on the importance of community collaboration in safeguarding girls’ health, rights, and future opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of IGRHD, Mrs. Ayodeji Hussainat Bello Awodoyin, emphasised that keeping girls in school is a critical step toward ending FGM and teenage pregnancy.
Every girl deserves the right to dream, to learn, and to live free from violence and discrimination. Through the Educate, Don’t Mutilate scholarship, we are not only keeping girls in school but also safeguarding their dignity and future,” she said.
The event took place amid growing tension in Akinlalu following a recent clash between local residents and the Amotekun security outfit, which led to loss of lives and widespread fear. Despite the insecurity, IGRHD proceeded with the outreach, an act many described as courageous and compassionate.
Principal of Akinlalu secondary commercial college, Mrs. Arayemi Abolupe, commended the organisation’s resilience, saying, “at a time when many would have withdrawn because of fear, IGRHD stood with us. Their presence and support mean a lot to our people.”
The Educate, Don’t Mutilate Scholarship Initiative is part of IGRHD’s broader campaign to promote girls’ rights, reproductive health education, and the eradication of FGM across rural communities in Nigeria. Since inception, the organisation has reached thousands of girls through advocacy, mentorship, and educational interventions.
Board member and Director of Operations at IGRHD, Mr. Temitayo Awodoyin, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to continue supporting the Akinlalu community and others like it despite the challenges.
We will not be deterred by insecurity. Our mission is rooted in love, service, and the belief that transformation begins when one girl is given the chance to rise,” he said.
