More than 30 girls received scholarships worth millions of naira as the HerLight Child Development Foundation, held the sixth edition of its Teen Girl Child Conference (TGCC 6.0), alongside corporate and faith-based partners in Lagos. The conference, convened by Blessing Sunday, took place on Saturday, June 27, in Ajegunle with……
More than 30 girls received scholarships worth millions of naira as the HerLight Child Development Foundation, held the sixth edition of its Teen Girl Child Conference (TGCC 6.0), alongside corporate and faith-based partners in Lagos.
The conference, convened by Blessing Sunday, took place on Saturday, June 27, in Ajegunle with the theme, “Beyond Limit: Scripting Your Own Story.”
The event brought together teenage girls, mentors and education advocates to inspire participants while addressing challenges affecting the education and development of the girl child.
An emotional Q&A session saw JSS3 student Aisha Adebayo speak tearfully about growing up with an irresponsible father. Moved by her story, Pastor Sunday Ikwuogwu of Liberation World Ministries pledged to fund her education through university, while Bishop Dave Okpe of the Gate Keepers’ Fellowship awarded another girl a scholarship to a private university. Aisha’s mother, Ramota Adebayo, expressed gratitude, while Aisha said the support revived her dream of becoming a pilot.
Meanwhile, the guest speaker, actress Juliana Olayode, popularly known as Toyo Baby, challenged the girls to reject limiting beliefs and embrace failure as part of the journey to success.
“There is absolutely no stopping you as long as you keep believing. Failure is a recipe for success. It is not the end of the world. We must learn from it, understand our mistakes and keep pushing,” she said.
She also urged parents to become intentional about raising emotionally healthy children, stressing that many social problems stem from unresolved generational trauma.
“If you bring a child into this world, you must be ready to take full responsibility. Parents should be the generation that hands over healing and not trauma to their children. Sometimes parents should learn to apologise to their children,” she added.
Founder of the Foundation and TGCC Convener, Blessing Sunday, said the conference has evolved into a platform offering practical educational support and mentorship, not just motivation. She said this year’s theme pushes girls to reject limiting beliefs and take ownership of their futures, noting that “nobody is going to write your story for you.”
76-year-old Apostle Dr. Nwanzo Wallace, a member of the Gate Keepers’ Fellowship visiting Africa and Nigeria for the first time, encouraged the girls to protect their dignity and resist sexual exploitation.
“You are beautifully and wonderfully made. God did not make a mistake when He created you. Don’t allow anyone to exploit you because of your needs,” he said while praying for the participants.
Two girls received full educational scholarships covering their studies from their current class through university, while five others were awarded scholarships that will fund their education from Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) to Senior Secondary School Two (SS2).
In addition, 29 girls received N50,000 each as one-term educational support to help ease the financial burden of schooling.
Some of the beneficiaries also received additional cash donations ranging from N15,000 to N50,000 from guests who attended the conference.
As part of efforts to address menstrual hygiene and reduce period poverty, the foundation distributed more than 1,000 sanitary pads to participants, with each girl receiving two packs.
