August meeting: US-based NGO urges women to champion family values
Values
By Victor Nwachukwu
Owerri, Aug. 29, 2026 (NAN) A United States based Non Governmental Organisation, the African Immigrants Resources Center, has urged Imo women to champion family values and raise their children right.
The Convener of the NGO’s Give A Girl A Pad (GAGAP) initiative, Mrs Chimezie Oji-Kalu said this at the 2026 annual August meeting of the Okwu Emeke community, Emekuku town, Owerri, on Friday.
Oji-Kalu, represented by the GAGAP Coordinator in Imo, Mrs Winifred Ijeaku, described women as “the backbone of every home”, hence the need for them to inculcate the right values in their children.
She decried the growing trend of love for grown children at home based on their financial status.
She argued that while some children send more financial support to parents, others could contribute their time and physical presence in times of need.
She, therefore, advised women to have equal love for their children and daughters-in-law, as according to her, these ones would take over from the mothers in the future.
“ As women, we must recognise our role as home makers and desist from idle talk.
“ When we do what is bad, our children see us and we may not know, but they eventually imitate the things they see us do”, she said.
She further urged the women to instill the value of personal hygiene in their daughters to help improve their dignity, self esteem and wellbeing.
According to her, well developed girls will grow into responsible women and builders of society, hence the need to catch them young hygienically, morally and otherwise.
“ As mothers, we must carefully observe and guide our children, especially our daughters because the cost of improper hygiene can last a lifetime.
“ We must insist on good sanitary pads to ensure that we avert possible infection and secure the future of the girl child who will take over from us as mothers.
“ This is a major interest area for GAGAP and we will not relent in taking this message to the nooks and crannies of our communities “, she said.
Speaking, the President-General of the Okwu-Emeke Women Association, Mrs Stella Chukwueke, thanked the NGO for the valuable insights and the sanitary pads.
She called on government at all levels to support the GAGAP initiative to enhance the growth and wellbeing of women and the society in general.
A highlight of the event was the distribution of 250 free sanitary pads to over 120 women present at the meeting by the NGO. (NAN)www.nannews.ng
