GIRLS’ VISION FOR THE FUTURE: Rising Above The Struggles


In Africa, there is a typical and common saying that goes “FEMALES ARE GOING TO END UP IN THE KITCHEN”. This statement has destroyed the esteem of so many African girl children as they grow up hearing it and seeing that the older females in their families are in fact just useful in the kitchen and do not have a career path or a life outside the kitchen.

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The International Day of The Girl Child, celebrated yearly on October 11, is an opportunity to bring attention to the urgent need to address the challenges girls, especially girls in Africa, face and to promote their empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.

Gender gaps in vocational training are due to many contributing factors but mostly deeply rooted in societal and cultural biases. Many African girls go into unsuitable careers or choose the wrong vocational training due to ignorance, peer pressure, advice from friends, parents, and teachers, cultural and societal demands or even as a result of the tags attached to certain jobs or skills.

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Although there has been steady but slow progress in closing gender gaps in vocational training, opportunities in jobs and career choices, there is still so much to be done. In 2023, UNICEF initiated projects in vocational training of girls and young women in agriculture. According to the UNICEF Day-of-the-Girl Brochure tagged “GirlForce Skills, Education and Training for Girls Now”, 86 females completed lower secondary education for every 100 males in sub-Saharan Africa, 17% of adolescent girls between the ages of 15 – 19 are not in education or training, and 44% of young adult females are not involved in any form of training or career path. 33% of female have no prior work experience which in turn can limit female youths’ future job prospects since prior employment serves as a signal of an individual’s future labour market potential. 35% of female youths between the ages of 25 – 29 left the work force for family reasons.

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To close the gender gap in vocational training, job and career opportunities, organizations like the World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF have initiated projects solely focused on empowering and creating opportunities for the female gender to come out of economic inactivity and become useful to the society.

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The goal of DASAC, as initiated by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is to take the Akwa Ibom youths out of the streets and give them the necessary skills to succeed in the present society. We are building a community that is inclusive and gender friendly. Our female Trainees are exploring their interests in Metal and Steel Fabrication, AgriBusiness, Leather works among other “blue collar” skills.

Like our Rector, Prof. Enoidem Usoro, said “DASAC is here to imbibe skills in the Akwa Ibom youths including the young and older girls and to make them confident positive contributors to the society”.

Watch our Rector’s speech here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/qFjiVgStu3inwq7d/

Photography/Videography By – Obongono Udosen & Faith Etim

Curated By – Edidiong Umoh

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