Project_Inspire With Esther Zayum

Esther Zayum is a young Nigerian committed to alleviating the plight of vulnerable women and children. Through her nonprofit organization,Esther is at the forefront of creating safe spaces for women and children to attain their highest potentials.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: Can we meet you?

  Esther : My name is Esther Zayum, born into the family of Dr. Umaru Adah Gwamna. I hail from Rubochi in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology from University of Mkar, in Benue State. I am also member of the Young Nigeria Writer’s Association and the founder of the Amazon Healing for Women and Children Empowerment Initiative (AHWOCEI). I am the CEO of House of AdielaZee, a unisex clothing outlet. I am married to Dr. Zayum Inusa Lodaam. 

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: Tell us briefly about your childhood experience.

Esther : I had an awesome childhood experience even though my parents were very strict and never spared the rod. My parents instilled discipline and good manners in me which shaped me into the woman I am today. As the last child of the family, I received a lot of affection and love from my parents and siblings. As a child, I was smart, outspoken and had a lovable nature which made it easier for people to like me.I always spoke up against injustice which got me into trouble most times. Looking back, I guess fighting for the vulnerable women and children had being a childhood dream which has now become a reality. 

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: What’s your educational background? 

  Esther : I did my elementary education at N.A.D.P Nursery and Primary School, Lafia, and proceeded to Shepherd International Collage, Akwanga, Nasarawa State for my Secondary education,I then went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Anthropology from University of Mkar, Benue State.My choice of course has helped prepared and shaped me well for the future I am already building.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What are your contributions towards making Nigeria a better place? 

  Esther : My major contribution has been helping women and children to find their voice, their identity and pursue their dreams without fear or intimidation. Seeing women and children who have come in contact with me pursuing their dreams and speaking up against violence gives me a sense of accomplishment. This is the summary of our work at Amazon Healing for Women and Children Empowerment Initiative (AHWOCEI),a nonprofit organization I founded. 

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What have your achievements been? 

  Esther : Through high level advocacy, awareness creation and counseling, I had the opportunity to impact over 4,000 women and children through my Initiative over the last three years. This has contributed to whittling down of fears due to increase in sexual and domestic violence. I have footed hospital delivery bills for two survivors and also ensure they went back to school and in addition reconnected a survivor abducted by a baby factory company with her parents with the help of the Nigeria police. My “Changing the Narrative of Violence in Schools Campaign” 2021 have reached over 790 students, not less than ten(10) schools, and fifty (50) teachers. Also, over ninety (>90) community members benefited from the awareness campaign and free screening/testing on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and Syphilis during the campaign on Sexual and Reproductive Health issues. We started the year 2022 with a Youth Engagement Dialogue Hangout and fifteen (15) youths benefited from the interactive event.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What motivated you to do what you are doing?

Esther : My major motivation has been the plights I see women and children go through on a daily basis. I am highly motivated by being a voice, working and making positive impacts in the lives of women and children in the society by changing the way they are viewed and seen. Anytime I want to give up and remember the plights they go through, it fuels my passion and keeps me going.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: Tell us more about your non-profit organization.

   Esther : The Amazon Healing for Women and Children Empowerment Initiative, also known as (AHWOCEI) is a fully registered (CAC/IT/NO/101077), authoritative, non-governmental organization (NGO) committed to creating awareness, advocacy, counseling and strategic research in the areas of Gender Based Violence, Human Right Violation, Sexual and Reproductive Right of women and children in Nigeria and Africa at large. The AHWOCEI was founded on 26th September, 2017 but began full operations on 3rd March, 2018. It was established on the underlying principles that gender equality, sustainable peace and development are inextricably linked. Since its establishment, it has been leading strategic advocacy, research, discussions and dialogues around gender related issues.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What has been your major challenge since you began your non-profit organization?

  Esther : Our biggest challenges have been the lack of funding/grants to enable us undertake bigger, impactful projects and inadequate capacity building opportunities for our team members.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: Many young people have great ideas, but lack of funds is always a stumbling block. What’s your advice in this regard?

  Esther : I will advice young people like me to explore other options when it comes to funding such as writing your ideas in a proposal format and carrying out research on how much your idea will cost. Don’t stick to a particular strategy or option because it might not work at the time you need. There are hundreds of global and national funding opportunities, grants and resources lined up for young people with great ideas. All you need to do is to get the right links or network. Another critical aspect is mentorship, every young person that wants to excel should have a mentor, someone you can receive advice and communicate your ideas with. There are ideas that are great but needs some flavors to make it perfect. The mentor will help to shape your ideas and even get possible funding/links that could help bring the ideas into existence. I have seen many young people with brilliant ideas and funding but lack capacity and focus to drive it to reality. Lastly, you need to believe in yourself and not give up if funding is not coming at the time you need, instead you keep pushing, searching and exploring.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:How have you been able to raise money to implement your ideas? 

  Esther : I have been implementing my ideas through personal contributions, support from friends, families and sponsorship from well wishers. I have applied for grants also but still expecting their responses.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:Could you please share with us one or two experience(s) you have had in the course of your campaign that has/have impacted on you? 

  Esther : Well, I have so many experiences to share but this particular one strikes the most because my life was endangered in the process. In 2019, we had a case of a missing teenage pregnant girl who was cajoled to sell her baby after delivery. After much investigation and questioning, we found out the lady that brought the case was the actual culprit who was double crossed by her partner and she wanted to use the organization to get the partner arrested and the girl returned back to her. When she discovered we had known the truth and were preparing to bring all evidence against her and partner, she sent thugs after me but due to divine providence, escaped the attack. She further lied to the lawyer that she never brought any case to me and that I had been threatening her life and job if she didn’t agree to all I said. Fortunately for the organization, we made recordings from both verbal and phone conversation which helped in giving us a favourable judgement. The teenage girl was rescued and reconnected to her parents. It really wasn’t a pleasant journey for me as the case was full of pressures and intimidation because so many influential people and the renowned orphanage were the girl was kept was been dragged to the mud if the case had continued. This case changed the way I saw things, the orientation I had of people and even security agencies. I wanted justice so much that I was willing to put my life on the line to achieve it, only to discover that money and power still has a play in delivering justice. The culprits have not being brought to book but thankfully the teenage girl was rescued. This made me re-evaluated and re-aligned our organizational strategies towards sensitive cases/matters as against current realities.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What are your prospects in the next 5 or 10 years?

Esther : Well, I hope to achieve my masters’ degree and PHD which will help to build and expose me deeper into my line of work. Also, I hope to develop my organization into a centre of excellence for strategic research in the area of sexual violence, reproductive and sexual health. In addition, to establishing a Rape Trauma Centre where survivors can heal from their trauma. The bigger prospect is to be able to reach and impact more than 50,000 Nigerians within the next decade.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What do you think is the major cause of unemployment among the youth today, and how can we get over this?

  Esther : Lack of useful skills, religious/ethnic sentiment, population explosion, corruption and laziness. The high rate of unemployment among youths can be reduced drastically if we teach the youths responsibility and goal setting. Government and private sector should invest in education and vocational training for youth, equal opportunities should be given to men and women, encourage and provide soft loans/grants for young people to start or run business/enterprise to increase job opportunities for the youth.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: What would you say is the role of the youth in national development?

  Esther : The youths are the backbone of the nation and their role is significant to national development, peace and stability. The youths have the role of restoring and improving. The youths have a role to restore and revive the current status/image of the nation. They are to improve science and technology, agriculture, medicine and leadership amongst others. Also, the youth have the role of supporting networks, movements and community initiative that thrive in advancing social justice and gender equality. 

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:How can you be reached on social media? 

  Esther : You can reach me on facebook @Adiela Gwamna and Instagram @Solest07

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What are your final words for the Nigerian youth.

  Esther : Believe in yourself, believe in your ideas, set realizable goals and Stick true to yourself even if no one does. Keep pushing and chasing, one day people will all pay to witness the crown that will be placed on your head. Show the older generation that they are wrong about you. Let them know you have intelligence and skills. Show to yourself what you are made up of.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: Thank you for sharing your story with us and we do pray that many will be inspired as they read. 

  Esther : It is my pleasure.

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