The Lifelong Impact and Welfare Foundation has empowered 2,000 teenage girls in Lagos through its Empower Her 3.0 programme, held in commemoration of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
The event, hosted on October 10 at Gbagada Girls Junior Secondary School, Bariga, featured sessions on menstrual hygiene, self-care, leadership, resilience and the importance of self-worth among adolescent girls.
According to the foundation, the Empower Her initiative is designed to equip young girls with practical life skills while promoting confidence and purpose. Since its launch in 2023, the programme has scaled significantly, growing from its initial target of fewer than 200 girls to reaching over 2,000 girls across communities.
Founder of the foundation and convener of Empower Her, Jenny Ukpai, expressed gratitude for the programme’s continued growth and the commitment of partners supporting the vision.
“When I started this initiative, the goal was to reach 100 to 200 girls. Two years later, we have empowered over 2,000 girls. It’s beyond what I imagined, and I’m grateful to everyone who continues to believe in this vision,” she said.
She added that the foundation remains focused on building confidence and purpose in girls nationwide, describing Empower Her as “a movement of love, confidence, and purpose.”
The keynote session was delivered by the Corporate Communications Manager at Rite Foods Limited, who urged the girls to embrace discipline, self-awareness and intentional self-care.
“When a girl understands her worth and takes care of herself physically, emotionally and mentally, she becomes unstoppable,” she noted, commending the initiative for reinforcing the values of strength and self-value.
A debate on ‘Social Media: A Tool for Empowerment or Distraction for the Girl Child?’ formed part of the event’s highlight. Bright Oluwakemisola emerged winner, receiving a ₦100,000 cash prize, while other participants received consolation prizes ranging from ₦10,000 to ₦20,000.
“I’m really thankful for the cash prize and for the pads we received today. It’s not every day people remember us like this, and I’ve learnt that taking care of myself is part of being strong,” Oluwakemisola said.
The programme was supported by Rite Foods and other partners, who provided self-care kits, drinks and hygiene materials to all participating students.
The Lifelong Impact and Welfare Foundation, founded by Ukpai, is a non-profit focused on empowering underprivileged communities through education, self-care advocacy and personal development. Through school outreaches, mentorship and empowerment projects, its Empower Her initiative has become one of its most celebrated platforms for inspiring the next generation of confident young women.
