Growing up Joke Silva the Magazine for Young People Pursuing a Professional Career in Acting

Growing Up Joke Silva The Magazine for Young People Pursuing a Professional Career in Acting Girls On Your The Move! Sexuality Iwaya Out-Of-School Questions Girls Taking Steps To Improve Answered Their Lives Assertiveness How to Stand Up For Yourself Without Putting Others Down Teenage Festival of Life 2013 D1 Speaks On 5 Things You Need To Succeed Volume 21 No.1 January 2014 PUBLISHER Action Health Incorporated (AHI) Vol. 21 No. 1 January 2014 ISSN-118-4574 CONTRIBUTORS Temitope Alfred Isaiah Owolabi Rhoda Robinson Vweta Ariemugbovbe Paul O. Ojajuni Adeola Faseyi Stella Nwogo PHOTOGRAPHERS Gbile Oshadipe Emmanuel Eshiett Cover Photo: Sandra Agenge Damilola Ayivoji INTERNS/YOUTH ASSISTANTS Natasha De Gregorio Anjola Otoki Graduation Event for Empowerment Programme Ayodele Noutouglo Adrian Obinna Orji Williams Elizabeth Talatu John Oyadougha Temitope Banjo Justina Uffort Girls On The Move: GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT Dejan Nikolic and Milos Janojlic Empowering the PRINT PRODUCTION Fine Print Limited SPECIAL THANKS Iwaya Community The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for funding magazine production igeria’s adolescent girls hold the key to the wellbeing of their fam- Action Health Incorporated - (AHI) tion and skills; critical knowledge and the capacity to protect their governmental organization N ilies, neighborhoods and the nation. If given quality basic educa committedis a non-profit, to improving non- the health - and development of adolescents in Nigeria. Since its establishment in health; and the confidence and opportunity to grow and prosper, their con tributions will be multiplied many fold. Unfortunately, many adolescent- for youth and a catalyst for change haviourgirls in Nigeria as a means still liveof survival. in conditions of abject poverty, suffer from multiple 1989,by increasing AHI has public served awareness as an advocate of sexual and reproductive health socio-economic deprivations, and thus remain exposed to risky sexual be Following an action-oriented research conducted by Action Health Incor- issues,development and implementing programmes. innovative education, health and youth The views expressed in the porated (AHI) to understand the realities, needs and concerns of adolescent magazine are those of the authors areasgirls in by Lagos, the Lagos a multi-dimensional State Urban Renewal empowerment Authority. project In partnership was launched with in communityIwaya, one ofmembers the numerous and relevant communities state governmentdesignated asagencies blighted including or slum those of AHI or any of our donor andorganizations. do not necessarily reflect - Address all correspondence to: videdthe Lagos adolescent State Agency girls in for Iwaya Mass with Education, the opportunity 108 out-of-school to enroll girlsin various were identified to benefit from the pilot phase of this initiative, which has pro The Editor, Growing Up Magazine programme options that included formal education, non-formal education Action Health Incorporated, someand vocational of the adolescent skills acquisition girls in Iwaya through who apprenticeship participated in with the accreditedempower- 17E-mail: Lawal [email protected] Street, Jibowu, Lagos artisans in the community. As told by themselves, these are the stories of P.O.Web: Box http/www.actionhealthinc.org 803, Yaba-Lagos, Nigeria contributing to the wellbeing of their families and neighborhoods. 02 January 2014 ment initiative, and are now taking bold steps to improvewww.actionhealthinc.org their lives while “I had always dreamed about running my own hairdressing salon” amilola Kucheopon is 22 years old stylist and interested in helping drop- - out girls like us.” Many of Ded Jibowu Junior High School and was attend- the girls remained ada- ing Mainlandan indigene Senior of Badagry, High School Lagos when State. she She becameattend mant and some even had pregnant at 19 and had to drop out of school. Damilo- to plead with their parents la blames her misfortune on the norms and practices and guardians before they could gain their support that it was considered normal for young girls to have to join the scheme. Dami- prevalent within her community, Iwaya. She explained- lola and some other girls ing for their needs and those of their families. “It is seen from her neighborhood theiras a sign boyfriends, of maturity” even she if they said. were The girls much are older, also providexpect- joined the programme to ed to reciprocate these gifts by granting the boyfriends be trained as hair-styl- - ists. “I had always dreamt nancies like it happened to her. Although Damilola’s about running my own sexual favours, which often results in unwanted preg hairdressing salon” she school because she didn’t think she could deal with the said. “This is two years af- babyshame died and subsequently, humiliation she she knew said wouldshe did be not awaiting go back her to among the school administration and her classmates. ter,more. I have The learntsame communityhow to retouch, members wash areand now set hair,saying as - wellthey asare do happy Ghana- for weaving, us; many pedicure, of them evenmanicure came and for lotsour graduation ceremony. I have a lot of plans for myself- I Fromselected then when on, shethe beganAHI team selling came water to identifyas a way girls of con for hope to have my own big shop and lots of apprentices tributing to her family’s income. Fortunately, she was - community members said all kinds of things about how knowledged that she now understands the risk of hav- thethey empowerment did not trust the programme. scheme and Damilola even tried said, to discour “Some- ining this multiple coming partners year,” she and said. has Inlearnt addition, the importance Damilola, ac of age me and other girls who were selected from partic- using protection and keeping herself safe from sexual ipating. They did not believe that anybody would be abuse. “I know education is important and my children must have it” ose Kujannayin is 20 - years old. The third ually Transmitted Infections and HIV during one of Bchild in a family of Bose recalls, “When we were being taught about Sex have never been the type that go around with different had been enrolled in the themen. evening She enthused classes, about I thanked how usefulGod silently the opportunity because I five children, although she attending school in Prima- past,ry 2 sheand was started stopped hawking from hadwhat been I want for fromher, saying my life. “The I know training I don’t they want gave to us rush has helped me set good goals for myself, and I now know “I have always wanted to to have a proper court marriage. I have also learned to fish to support her family. intocontrol marriage my anger and and if marriage stay out eventuallyof trouble”. comes, I want so happy when the empow- learnerment how opportunity to sew, so Icame was Bose shared how so many people in her community Bose. She lamented over all surprised when she and her colleagues graduated. tothe myefforts community,” of her extended said didn’t initially believe in the programme, so they were family members who had tried everything possible to convince her parents to give her and her sisters out for Today, many of the community members are awaiting a - similar programme to come their way again. Bose, who speaksto have proudly3 children about in the how future well sheand now she willsews, make and surehow marriage,he always butwanted her fatherthem torefused. learn one According trade or to the her, oth al- shethey has all getcultivated formal education.the habit of “I saving, know education says she wantsis im- thougher and growhe was up unable to be tosuccessful afford keeping women. them “He in gave school, me portant and my children must have it” she said. every support to join the empowerment scheme when they were registering girls in my area” www.actionhealthinc.org January 2014 03 “I am proud to say that I am a tailor.” andra Togbe family’s ten children had never been to school. Her S , 15 years old and the ninth of her seller. When asked why she had never been enrolled in father, has other wives and her mother is a fish - school, Sandra said, “My parents can’t afford to send me tomany school parents and preferlike me, that many we goyoung and peoplehawk for in the this family. com munity would also like to learn a trade. Unfortunately, can bring back after selling every day”. They are satisfied with the little money their children She recounted her experiences before her selection for theNaira”. girls’ She empowerment narrated how scheme.men would “When offer hawking to pay more fish for my mother, I would walk very far just to get 200 money for her wares, in exchange for sex. “They will asksaid. me “I knowto come that into I am their too house, young saying and if thatI dare they get would preg- give me 1,000 Naira for my fish, but I would refuse,” she nant, I can die during labour. All I wanted was to just discourage my mother from allowing me to learn this learn“Now aI trade,am proud not getto say pregnant.” that I am a tailor. I like my life er no longer find me at home. Some people tried to and my body feels better. I do not have constant head- money and support our family better. I even sew for my trade,other brothersbut she didn’t and listensisters. to I them. am also Now learning I make myto readown and write from the evening classes I attend three times achesby my likehouse I used so that to, whenwe could I used go andto hawk. visit boysI am togethalways- a week after we close from work at my training place”. busy at work, so those of my friends who used to come “Poverty made my sister run away from home.” that the level of poverty in her family was so unbearable tunity,that one because of her sistersher parents once rancouldn’t away afford from homeit.

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