SEX EDUCATION IS NECESSARY AT EARLY STAGE – Ladies With Focus, Chairlady

Women associations are often perceived as groups concerned with the latest fashion, gossips, competition and fighting among members.

However, a group of women , Ladies with Focus has disproved that notion, as it has delved in various endeavours that have touched the lives of its members and the less privileged in the society since its inception in 2004.

In this interview with the Boch News Oyagiri Chime-emele, Chairlady of the club, Madam Rachael Nwoka, gives an insight into the activities of the group and its achievements and other issues relating to the girl- child.

Excerpts.

May the people meet you, please?

My name is Rachael Nwoka. I am the Chairlady of the club, Ladies with Focus.

What does the club, Ladies With Focus stand for?

Ladies with Focus is a social club, which aims and objectives are, cooperation among members to ensure the well-being of all our members .

How long has the club been in existence and what had it achieved over the years?

Ladies with Focus has been in existence since 2004.

The club has been able to put smiles on the faces of most members by,assisting them start up businesses, adding financially to their businesses. Ladies with Focus has assisted some of her members in settling some medical bills, house rent, etc.

We also in our little way put smiles on the faces of the less privileged by visiting the motherless babies and the home of elderly every December. As a matter fact, this act has become a routine or tradition of the club.

Most female organizations are seen as avenues for gossips, teaching one another how to lord it over the men folks. What is your take on this ,having your club in mind?

I won’t disagree with u totally. But i want to say with all boldness that the club Ladies with Focus is not one of such. In l
our club, quarrelling and gossiping attracts a fine of N5000, while fighting results to dismissal of such member.

So every member avoids such penalty. Since 2004,only one case of fighting has been recorded, which led to dismissal of those members who defaulted.

Is Ladies With Focus an exclusive club for ladies of glamour and the highly placed in society, or for all comers. What’s your criteria for a new member to be admitted ?

Membership is open to ladies with sound minds. It is not exclusive for ladies of glamour and the highly placed.

It is for all comers, though some investigations are normally carried out to know the type of person being admitted into the club, as we would not want a troublesome or quarrelsome lady.
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What is your take on the abuse of the girlchild as regards rape, street hawking, teenage pregnancy and other social vices as a female group?_

My take is, a girl child should be treated equally as the boy child, there should be no discrimination of the girl child, because discrimination in some cases ,is what leads girls to drop out, street hawking, early pregnancy, etc.

A girl child should also know her worth by understanding that without her, the home can not be complete.

A girl child should also know that everything she needs must not come from a man, she can work hard and achieve whatever she wants without the help of a man, thereby avoiding molestations and rape from men.

The girl child involvements in some social vices like drugs, cultism, etc could be urguably traced to societal decadence. As a femine club, what efforts have you put or is putting in place to discourage the girl child from indulging in such social vices?

The advice to a girl child is, always choose your friends carefully ,because peer group can be so influential.

Don’t be easily swayed or carried away by flashy things. Don’t be in a competition with any friend. Though as a club we haven’t done this officially, but we are planning towards it.

What’s your take on destitutes especially females on our streets?

The government should try as much as possible to provide more job opportunities and also organise some training programs, these way, we will have less destitutes on the street.
Thank you.

As mothers or would be mothers, what are your views on sex education and at what age can a mother discuss it with a child , if necessary?

Sex education is very necessary. Though a lot of mothers shy away from discussing with their children/wards about it. With the level of moral decadence in our society.

I think at the age 10, a mother should be discussing sex education with her child/ward, though not going too deep, like educating the child why private parts are actually called private parts and as such teaching them to make such parts extremely private, that is, not allowing anyone touch them.

Then from the age of 14, 15 a mother should go deep into educating her child on sex education.

Generally speaking, what is your advise to mothers, the girl child and government?

My advice to mothers, do not be too busy for for your children S and home. Always give the required attention. Try your best as a mother to provide for your children. Do not over pamper them, in the name of love and also do not be too harsh either.

To the girl child, be content with what your parents can provide. That you do not have all the flashy things your friends have does not mean you wI’ll not have them in future. Wait for your time. Do not try to impress anyone, always be yourself.

To the government, support and empower the girl child by organising skills acquisition programs during holidays, such as, tailoring, catering, hairdressing,bead making, etc. Because the girl child will become a woman tomorrow and a woman is a home builder.

Thanks for your time, Ma’am.