Blooming Dames Initiative Unveils Centre In Ibadan • Seeks Support In Fight Against Exploitation, Harmful Occupation
The call has gone to public spirited Nigerians to use their resources to support the fight against exploitation, harmful occupation and other forms of abuse in the society.
Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ogedengbe and Mrs. Abimbola Okutinyang, who are co-founders of Blooming Dames Initiative made the call in Ibadan at the formal opening of the Centre, held at No 6, Osun Close, off Adeyi Street, Old Bodija on Wednesday.
Blooming Dames, According to them is an initiative designed for the rehabilitation, transformation, reconnecting and reintegration of women in brothel back into the society.
Mrs. Ogedengbe, who is the Executive Director of Pan African Purpose Driven Women Initiatives, said that the mission of the Blooming Dames Initiative is to help the women shift into dignifying sustainable life.
“Blooming Dames Centre is a safe haven, it is a transitional programme for women who are in exploitative and harmful occupations to help them shift into safe and dignifying career path for sustainable life and economic empowerment.
“We have seen the gap and we realized that there is a need to rise up to the occasion to be able to do our bit to help these women. Some of them have been victims of trafficking, some of them are there because of poverty, for different reasons, some are there because of selfish gains and all of that. So, we are here today to see what we can do to help them shift into dignifying sustainable life.
“We are open to collaboration with the government, we are partners in progress because the government can not do it alone, so every support we can get from the government, funding, resources, we are looking forward to it.”
In her submission, Mrs. Okutinyang, an entrepreneur and Executive Director, Connecting Heart of Women for Positive Change Initiative, revealed that the vision is to raise at least 10 ladies annually from between six to nine months.
She maintained that during their stay at the Centre, they will have access to free medical care, train them on vocational skill of their choice, engaging them through spiritual and social interventions.
“This is just one Centre and it is located within Ibadan North Local Government, our desire and objective is to have a safe house in every local government in Oyo State and the same thing in Lagos, it will be amazing. The same thing in Abuja, everywhere, if we can have one safe house in one local government, that is one mind transformed, she goes back to where she comes from and push 10 others out because she understands the language and the lifestyle, she can minister to them than we can, so, that is what we believe will happen in the future.
“Initiative like this will go a long way in assisting Nigerian youths because prostitution has levels, we have those on the street, we have those that are brothel based, we have those at the university based, we are not going for everyone, we are only going for brothel based, who may be their friends that lured them and innocently they got there and they stocked, those who did not know and they were lured into it. We believe that if we can help this category of people it will go a long way to help others in their level at the grassroots for a better life.”
Presenting her goodwill message, Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs. Toyin Balogun, appreciated the founders of Blooming Dames Initiative, for complementing the efforts of the state government in addressing the various societal menace.
Balogun, who assured the Centre of government support, emphasized that empowerment of women is a moral imperative and a critical investment into the fire of Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
The representatives of the Nigeria Police Force and NSCDC, applauded the initiative of the founders for deeming it to join hands with security agencies in sanitizing the society.
They solicited support for the founders, noting that the tasks are so demanding and require huge resources.
Blooming Dames Initiative is a partnership project by two non-governmetal organizations, Pan African Purpose Driven Women Initiatives and Connecting Heart of Women for Positive Change Initiative to escape women who are into harmful and exploitative circumstances to reclaim her dignity and thrive in a dignified sustainable livelihood.
