Invest in and Empower the Girl

The prevalence rate of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Rivers State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has increased from 5.4% to 7.3% (National survey) which is largely due to poverty and effect of migrant oil workers with highly disposable income and cultural practices like early marriage and polygamy which has put most young women at the risk of getting infected. Hence, Girls To Mothers´Initiative addresses the issues surrounding the spread of HIV virus targeting red light zones in the city of Port Hacourt, and most at risk populations (MARP - Female Commercial Sex Workers). Teenage pregnancy is also a major concern especially because of the health risks for both mother and child and the impact on the girl’s education and life prospects. Births to females below age 20 account for 17 per cent of all births in the least-developed countries, which equals 14 million births world-wide each year.

Girls To Mothers´ Initiative (G2Mi) mission is to give young girls and women honor.

Girls To Mothers´Initiative (G2Mi) is presently the only women development and empowerment non governemetal organisation registered within the state. The project is unique in the sence that we address the issues facing young women in the society in different ways: Which is taking a bold step to work directly with the most at risk populations (MARPs) brothel based Female Commercial Sex Workers. Train them as peer health educators, provide oppurtunities for an alternative means of livelihood and one on one counseling on daily issues that affect them. It is worthy to note that the act of commercial sex activity is borne out of poverty, from our past survey more than 75% of young girls involved in brothel based commercial sex activities have sibling, aged or sick parents and most times their children which they have to cater for and since they have such responsibilities and has no means of providing for their families, they quickly take into commercial sex work which is growing fast within the city.

Girls To mothers´Initiative Over the past three years G2Mi has recorded tremendous programmatic accomplishments in all its programme focus areas. Specifically G2Mi has facilitated the training of over 50 out-of-school youth/girls (single parents CSW & Orphans) in vocational skills some of whom have set up their own small businesses in riverine communities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. G2Mi has also trained 200 peer health educators who are already impacting on their communities and provided counseling, appropriate information and education on youth reproductive and sexual health issues.

G2Mi believes that together we can address the major problems affecting the feminine folks in our present society.