How Oyo’s First Lady is Changing Lives With Impactful Programmes

Testimonies abound on the impact of the various programmes and projects executed by Engr. Tamunominini Makinde, the First Lady of Oyo State, in the past six years.

The score sheet has been favourable to her human development and capacity-building programmes, with beneficiaries across the 33 local government areas of the state sharing their testimonies on the impacts of the various programmes on their lives.

Some of the life-impacting programmes include advocacy on female genital mutilation and gender-based violence, health care initiative, support for the vulnerable, advocacy for the girl-child, breastfeeding advocacy, and education support initiative.
The list also includes advocacy on curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Oyo State, women leadership connect forum, leadership and strategic roundtable meeting, and staff development programmes.

Through these programmes, the First Lady has improved the many women, the vulnerable, and other categories of people in the state in the past six years. Records have it that thousands of women, the vulnerable, and other categories of people, irrespective of their political affiliations, from the 33 local government areas of the state have benefited from her empowerment and other programmes that are aimed at cushioning the effects of the present economic hardship.

Some beneficiaries have been trained in skill acquisitions while others were presented with cash and other gifts items to improve their standard of living.

Sizeable number of children have been taken off the streets to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state, while campaign for girl-child education has been intensified in the past six years. Statistics shows that girl-child enrollment has increased in both public and private schools across the state.

Also, the fight against female genital mutilation and gender-based violence are other menaces Her Excellency is determined to stamp out. She actively campaigns against these monsters that undermine the rights of the girl-child and women.

Through her campaigns, female genital mutilation has witnessed a drastic reduction, while gender-based violence is also on the decline.

On menstrual hygiene management, hundreds of secondary school girls have received sanitary and hygiene products, such as sanitary pads, panties, roll-on and deodorants from the office of the First Lady over the years as part of Her Excellency’s efforts to sensitize the young ladies on the need to take their menstrual hygiene seriously.

Likewise on breastfeeding, Engineer Makinde has always been at the forefront in the campaign on exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Her involvement in breastfeeding advocacy includes awareness campaigns, seminars, and community outreach programmes to educate mothers and caregivers about the health benefits of