Foundation to inaugurate Women Leadership Centre

As part of measures to raise female community leaders and increase female participation in every African society, Africa Women Conference (AWC) is set to launch a Leadership Development Centre for women.

The centre will be inaugurated on September in Abuja.

Co-convener of Africa Women Conference and founder/president of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, told journalists in Abuja that the inauguration of the leadership development centre will equip young women and girls with skills required to take up leadership roles through personal and career growth as well as to help reject stereotypes which may hinder women in many professional fields.

Ahmadu stressed that, "The AWC Leadership Development Centre for Women and Girls will provide a platform for highly skilled international resource persons who are driving changes across various fields to provide training and mentorship for African women and girls living in underresourced communities. This is to enable them to aspire for excellence and leadership while helping them realize their full potentials."

According to her, "During the workshop, resource persons will work with the mentees to develop individual work plans that will be implemented over a sixmonth period in the mentees' communities.

“After six-months, the mentees’ performances are evaluated through a peer review mechanism. The best performing leaders in various sectors are then selected and empowered to do more for their communities."

Ahmadu revealed that beneficiaries of the first Leadership Development Centre will be drawn from various communities in Africa with areas such as communities suffering from poverty or environmental disasters given special attention.

She called for support from corporate organisations and individuals aimed at realising the objectives of the centre and lead to an eventual improvement in the quality of life of women in the continent.