Connecting Pulse Wire and GPI!!!!

I got attracted to Pulse Wire because it is very similar to the Girls’ Power Initiative (GPI), Nigeria programme that runs a 3 years training on Leadership, Personal Empowerment and Life Management Skills for young girls between the ages of 20 – 18 years to assist them build skills that will make them resourceful and relevant to their community; a society they belong which believes strongly that girls and women have no roles in leadership positions in the society, cannot contribute positively to the society and their only role is to cook and bear children for their husbands. I am a graduate of that programme.
GPI dared to train young girls to be different in our patriarchal Nigerian setting and I, Emilia Eyo dared to join these group of girls and be different. I grew up in a community where I had to try so hard to prove to my parents and relatives that being a female as a first child to my family was not bad news. Even though I was not a male I could achieve relevant educational qualification and get a job and assist my parents with finances from my pocket not necessary from my supposed boy friend or husband. I earned a degree in Computer Science and advocated for the stop of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in my community.
I am a very active “internet” person and my ability to explore for opportunities also brought World Pulse to me, this was another part of me that made me different and some people called me “weird”. I love research on the internet and people wondered if I was a boy in my mind because according to them only boys and men love research and journalism. Women are too emotional to think and write good articles. Presently, I work for the same organization GPI that contributed in changing me and making me who I am today to assist other young girls gain these skills and continue to increase the number of girls and women who are active in positively developing their community. My passion to see girls and women change their status by gaining skills that will assist them tell their stories themselves and be the person they truly want to be not what the society wants them to be.
I was inspired to apply for the Voices of Our Future Programme because I believe the programme will give me the unique opportunity to share stories about young girls in my community and country who are going through the GPI programme and have used the information to transform their lives. I will be able to share my knowledge gained during the programme with these girls to speak and continue to roar in loud voices about their new found personality and know they are not alone. They can draw from the strength I did not have and be different and unique without fear.
World Pulse connects my worlds and makes it visible and real.