It is another International Men’s Day, and I want to celebrate every man out there. This year’s theme, “Supporting Men and Boys,” talks about an area we often overlook as a society, which is the need for structured support for men’s well-being and growth. A lot of men feel forgotten and move through each day doing what they can, even when nobody says thank you. They fix things, provide, encourage, and stay steady. International Men’s Day is a moment to remind them that their presence matters. To actually support men, we need to invest in them in what they do and in how they go about it. For years, we have seen scholarships, mentorship programs, and networks created for women, helping them grow, and find their footing. Men deserve that too. They need platforms where they can learn and just soar. There are already some male-focused initiatives in Africa that show what support can look like. For example, The Boys’ Mentorship Programme helps boys aged 7–17 build responsibility, emotio...

  The other day, I was talking to someone about how sanitary pads should be free or at least affordable for women and girls and more spaces for breastfeeding should be made available for women. The person looked at me like I was asking for too much. I smiled and said, “Have you noticed how quick governments and institutions say they have gender-friendly policies but often struggle to implement them in everyday settings?” Pads are a basic need for half the population in Nigeria yet it’s not a priority. Similarly, breastfeeding spaces are necessary for women to nurse their babies in comfort and privacy, yet most public places are not designed to accommodate this important aspect of life. These seemingly simple issues make me think of Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB). GRB is a way of planning and spending public money that considers everyone’s needs regardless of gender. It looks at where the money goes and asks if those choices make life better for all. The above is just a simple il...

  We, the Roseline Initiative @roseline_initiative in conjunction with The Chosen Inspiraa (@thechoseninspiraa ) and AfricHer Rising (@africherrising), thank God for the success of this project. To everyone who made this happen, may God bless you abundantly. Your dedication and hard work have truly made a significant difference, and we are profoundly grateful for your contributions. To the management of the schools represented, we express our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to education. We also extend our sincere appreciation to @bninitiative Kasot Press, and ifad Initiatives for their partnership over the years. We do not take it for granted. IDG #IDG2025 #DayOfTheGirl #DayOfTheGirlChild #InternationalDayOfTheGirl #InternationalDayOfTheGirl2025

  Over the years, each edition has had its own theme, and I have always felt a personal connection to them. When I saw this year’s theme, I paused. It didn’t immediately speak to my personal experience. I wondered: how have I been on the frontlines of crisis? I haven’t experienced war. I haven’t lived through floods. I haven’t endured a natural disaster. How, then, could I relate? Then I realized, education itself is a battlefield. The crises I have witnessed, the ones I have confronted, are quiet but profound: the barriers that prevent girls from learning, the stereotypes that tell a girl she is less than, the inequities that quietly erode dreams. These are the crises I have faced on the frontlines, one classroom, one conversation, one opportunity at a time. Leadership, service, and change are not forged only in dramatic events, they can be developed in these small, persistent struggles. Mentoring a girl to believe she can excel, creating spaces for learning where none exist, stan...

  Roseline in conjunction with The Chosen Inspiraa Foundation and AfricHer Rising presents International Day of the Girl Child 2025. Theme: The Girl In am, The Change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis Convener: Dr. Roseline Adewuyi, Funmilayo Omodara and Lady Ifeoluwa Oyatokun MC : Taiwo Oyeleye Speakers: Oluwatoyin Banjo and Dr. Samson Owolabi Partners: Building Nations Initiative – BNI, Kasot Press and Ifad Initiatives Venue: BNI Youth Centre, U&I Building, Opposite Idia Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Nigeria Date: Friday, 1Oth of October 2025 Time: 8: 30 am For sponsorship and partnership, kindly send a WhatsApp message to Roseline on +2348137034000. We would appreciate your support both in cash and kind. Nigerian Bank Account: Adewuyi Roseline Adebimpe 2086134066 UBA Kindly add a description for ease of reference. Thank you. #IDG   #IDG2025   #DayOfTheGirl   #DayOfTheGirlChild2025   #InternationalDayOfTheGirl   #internationaldayofthegir...

  Eligibility: This competition is open to undergraduate ladies aged 14 to 22 years. Roseline, in conjunction with The Chosen Inspiraa Foundation and AfricHer Rising presents a TikTok Competition to mark the International Day of the Girl Child 2025. Theme: The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis Celebrate girls’ leadership and resilience on the frontlines of crisis to mark the International Day of the Girl Child 2025. How to Join: Record a video 1–3 minutes long. Show examples of how girls can lead initiatives during crises, such as natural disasters, conflict zones, health emergencies, or school and community challenges. No talking in the video, but text with background music or audio can be used to convey the message. Submit your videos on TikTok, Instagram, or via email. Submission Channels: Participants can submit their videos via any of the following: TikTok: Use hashtag  #IDG2025  and tag @AdewuyiRoseline Instagram: Use hashtag  #IDG...

  Fatou was a bus conductor in Dakar. Every day, she jumped off and on the moving bus, shouting stops, collecting fares, and swinging her coin pouch like it was part of her body. She had mastered the chaos of the roads, the dust, the insults, the heavy sun. But what she hadn’t mastered, what still caught her off guard was her period. She would feel it coming like a slow storm. The backache. The wave of nausea. The hot flash behind her eyes. But in her line of work, there was no break. No rest. No clean restroom nearby. She would double-pad. Wear black. Whisper prayers. And pretend. One Thursday morning, she wasn’t fast enough. The bleeding came heavier than usual. She felt it soak through there, in the middle of her route, on a packed bus with thirty pairs of eyes. Her heart dropped. But before the panic set in, a woman sitting by the window tapped her shoulder gently. “Sister,” she said, “it is okay.” She handed Fatou her shawl. Shielded her. Whispered for the driver to pause. Min...

  Building Self-esteem in Boys: Stand Up, Be Heard, Be Seen If boys had a penny for every time they were told to “man up,” they would be richer than Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. From a young age, they’re taught to be tough, stay quiet, and never cry. In places like Nigeria, many boys still lack safe spaces to open up. Silence may look like strength, but often it’s just pain with nowhere to go. The “strong, silent” boy we often admire is just a child who was never really seen or heard. I was reminded of this while watching The Fabelmans. There’s a scene where young Sammy starts making films in his garage, not for fame, but simply to feel and speak. When people don’t have the words, they find other ways. Some create. Some lash out. Some disappear. At the center of it all is one question: Do you see me? Maybe the bravest thing we can do for our boys isn’t to teach them to toughen up, but to show them they’re already enough. In Nigeria, we often place big expectations on our boys. We want...