A female-led non-governmental organisation, Great Brave Women (GBW), has successfully trained over 420 girls in agricultural and environmental practices across eight schools in Lagos.
The initiative, which aims to empower the next generation of female agricultural leaders, was highlighted by Alhaja Omotayo Atoba, the Lagos State Coordinator of GBW.
Atoba, who also serves as the state coordinator for Nigerian Women in Agriculture, praised the dedication of the women behind the program.
“What you see here today is the result of collective passion and sacrifice. I firmly believe that when you train a woman, you train a nation,” she stated.
She called for support from the state government, local government chairmen, and the private sector to expand this impactful work.
During the event, Mrs Yetunde Olaniyan, a committed farmer and accountant with expertise in eight branches of agriculture, expressed the NGO’s dedication to reshaping the narrative around farming while nurturing the potential of young girls.
“We started the training sessions in June this year. Our goal is to engage the girls meaningfully, imparting practical skills in areas like poultry, aquaculture, crop farming, and even handcrafts,” Olaniyan explained.
She emphasised the importance of keeping the girls engaged, stating, “An idle hand, as we all know, is the devil’s workshop. We’re teaching them how to make good use of their leisure and discover viable livelihood paths.”
The program reached students in six public and two private schools, combining practical demonstrations with environmental education.
The girls participated in a quiz competition to assess their knowledge retention and understanding of core topics.
They learned to apply sustainable practices, such as using wastewater from aquaculture to irrigate crops and poultry waste as organic manure, reinforcing the concept of “waste to wealth.”
The initiative ended with a recognition ceremony celebrating outstanding participants. Selected students received practical starter kits, including live catfish with feeds, hens with poultry feed, watering cans, and eco-friendly pesticides to kickstart their agricultural journeys.
The program was “fully powered by the individual contributions of our women farmers, without any external support,” Atoba stated.
She called on the government and individuals of goodwill to partner and help the initiative scale to reach more girls.
One of the students, Dorcas Olaniyan, shared her experience, saying, “Agriculture has taught me that nothing is wasted. Whether it’s farming or another skill, I urge fellow students to embrace learning and make the most of every opportunity.”
GBW plans to continue the training when schools resume in September, setting a new standard for Nigeria’s grassroots, gender-focused agricultural education.
