Deaf Women Association of Nigeria -DWAN Headquarters

Deaf Women Association of Nigeria -DWAN Headquarters DWAN is a not-for profit making, non-partisan and an organization entirely devoted to serving the interest of Deaf women and girls in Nigeria. Like my page

DWAN is a not-for profit making, non-partisan and an organization entirely devoted to serving the interest of Deaf women and girls who are part of the large population among women with disabilities in Nigeria. It started as a modest group in 2001 as Deaf women in Nigeria (DWIN) but got registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja in 2012 after many years of fruitful advocacy efforts a

nd many other successful programmes that benefitted and impacted Deaf Nigerian women and girls. It is headed by our founder/National President Dcns Beyioku-Alase Adedoyin. Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN) had about 27 branches in Nigeria including FCT. The FCT branch is headed by Chairperson, Mrs. Hellen (Udoye) Beyioku-Alase. It will interest you to know that our association has been one of the guiding light in Nigeria Disabled organization that focus on the Deaf women and girls matters. One of the critical challenges that Deaf women and girls in Nigeria faced daily is that they receive very little or no attention in Nigeria for their socio-economic, education and political growth. We are often discriminated, viewed as negative by society because of our handicapped condition (Deafness) and we also find it difficult to advocate for ourselves effectively. This stigma and isolation prevents us from accessing information, funds or partnership that is critically to our socio-economic well-being and this leave us more vulnerable to exploitation and crime. Many Deaf women and young girls are more at risk of gender based violence because they are less able to report the cases or access justice dues to communication barriers. Again, Deaf women and girls in Nigeria have less access to disability programme and funds than other women with disability (WWD) due to the past experience which were rooted in the way society responded to us by the way we were socially devalued, excluded from playing field as women, and rendered us as invisible both in development agenda and social inclusion. The refusal to recognize Sign-language as communicating tools for making information accessible to the Deaf people in Nigeria cut us from all activities in Nigeria but we always strive to contribute our quota to the development of our country with our livelihood or merger income without waiver through our collective ideas and self- enterprise. Succinctly put, Deaf women and girls in Nigeria should be actively supported and liberated from underdevelopment via a well grounded Empowerment training, education and skills acquisition project. Recognizing these short comings, Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN), Abuja chapter have identifies the urgent necessity of organizing capacity building, Skills acquisition and entrepreneurship training, sexual and reproductive health, Press conference to sensitize the society about Deaf women, careers and motivation talk for the Deaf girls and commemorating International Day for Persons with Disabilities in Abuja through synergy. DWAN Project aims to cover the following main areas of activity these are:
i. Vocational and skill acquisition Training in Catering, bead making, soap and luquid making etc
ii. Leadership training
iii. Sexual and Reproductive Health
iv. Education in the Rights of Deaf Women and Families
v. Out-of-school programmes for Deaf teenagers and young girls
vi. Literacy, School support, Health education and services, grassroots skills in rural areas
vii. Training in micro-enterprises
viii. Sign language
ix. Farming and livestock

*Appointed Director General, Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development*A new chapter for women’s developmen...
16/05/2026

*Appointed Director General, Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development*

A new chapter for women’s development in Nigeria begins.

The appointment of Hon. as Director General of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development is a recognition of proven leadership and ground-level impact. Before this role, she served as Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs in the FCT, where she moved beyond policy on paper to programs that reached women where they live.

In that role, she confronted the real barriers women face: access to skills, safety, economic opportunity, and representation. Her approach was direct—open up training centers, expand support for women entrepreneurs, strengthen responses to gender-based violence, and make sure women with disabilities were not left out of the conversation. She built partnerships with civil society, traditional leaders, and the private sector to turn commitments into action.

What sets her leadership apart is ex*****on. She understands that women’s development doesn’t happen in boardrooms alone. It happens when a woman in Kuje learns a trade, when a survivor in Gwagwalada gets support, when a young girl sees a woman in public office and knows it’s possible for her too. That’s the standard she brought to the FCT, and that’s the standard she brings to the Centre.

As DG, her mandate is clear: reposition the Maryam Babangida Centre as Nigeria’s flagship institution for women’s empowerment and gender equity. That means modernizing training programs, expanding reach to underserved states, integrating disability inclusion into every initiative, and producing data that drives better policy. It means honoring the Centre’s legacy while making it fit for the realities of 2026.

This appointment sends a message: experience matters, results matter, and women’s affairs deserve leadership that has delivered at the subnational level and is ready to scale nationally.

We have faith in your capacity, your record, and your passion for people.*
Congratulations, Hon. on this well-earned appointment. The work continues, and Nigeria is watching

Congratulations DR Mrs Adedayo Benjamin- Laniyi from all of us at Deaf Women Association of Nigeria HQ

*LOIS AUTA: LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE, SERVICE**A Trailblazer for Women and Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria*For over t...
16/05/2026

*LOIS AUTA: LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE, SERVICE*

*A Trailblazer for Women and Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria*

For over two decades, Lois Auta has stood at the forefront of the fight for dignity, access, and justice for women and persons with disabilities in Nigeria. As the CEO and Founder of the Network of Women with Disabilities [NWD], she has built a movement that gives voice, visibility, and opportunity to women who have too often been excluded from decision-making spaces.

Under her leadership, NWD has trained hundreds of women with disabilities in leadership, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. Her work has influenced policy discussions at state and national levels, shifted public attitudes, and opened doors for women with disabilities to claim their rightful place in society. She doesn’t just speak about inclusion—she builds the systems that make it real.

In recognition of her impact and unwavering commitment, Lois Auta made history as the only person with a disability appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a member of the Governing Council of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development [MBNCWD].

This appointment is more than personal recognition. It is a statement that the voices of persons with disabilities belong at the highest tables of policy and development. On that council, Lois carries the mandate to ensure that the Centre’s programs, training, and advocacy are truly inclusive and responsive to the needs of Nigerian women with disabilities

This appointment comes after years of advocacy, barrier-breaking, and proving that disability is not inability. It signals a shift in how leadership is defined in Nigeria—one that values lived experience, competence, and the courage to keep showing up when systems are slow to change.

Lois’s journey is a reminder that when women with disabilities are given access and authority, the entire nation benefits. Her work strengthens families, communities, and institutions by making them more inclusive, equitable, and human.

As she steps into this national role, the mission accelerates. The standard rises. And the expectation is clear: to ensure that the Maryam Babangida Centre becomes a model for disability-inclusive women’s development across Africa.

We celebrate Lois Auta—leader, advocate, mother, and builder. Her leadership has been recognized. Her mission has been advanced. And Nigeria is better for it.

Congratulations Lois Auta from us all at DWAN

10/05/2026

💙 Pad Bank – Give Dignity, Give Hope

Since 2024, the Deaf Women Aloud Initiative has been providing sanitary pads through the Pad Bank, supported by your generous donations and the sales of our Ankara-designed shirts. Each shirt sold has contributed to supplying pads to girls with disabilities.

Thanks to your support:
• Over 1,550 girls at the Abuja School for the Deaf, Kuje, have been assisted.
• The Pad Bank has expanded its reach to the Lokoja School for the Deaf in Kogi State and the Abuja School for Special Needs.

However, there are still many more awaiting assistance. Period poverty continues to deprive girls of dignity, education, and opportunities.

✨ Here is how you can contribute:
• Make a direct donation:
o 1 Pad = ₦2,000
o 5 Pads = ₦10,000
o 10 Pads = ₦20,000
o 20 Pads = ₦40,000
o 50 Pads = ₦100,000
o 100 Pads = ₦200,000

• Alternatively, purchase our Ankara shirts. All profits directly support the Pad Bank, transforming fashion into dignity and hope.

👉 Let us do it once more. Let us reach additional schools. Let us demonstrate that compassion can overcome barriers.

Your support is greatly appreciated through the following account details:
USD: 6011522035
EURO: 6011522028
Naira : 1006005810
Account Name: Deaf Women Aloud Initiative
Bank Name: FCMB

For orders of our shirts and laptop bags, please email us at [email protected] or contact us via WhatsApp at +2347031103512.

Your support will enable every girl with disabilities to continue their education.

Thank you for your support.

*DWAN MOURNS!!!It is with deep sadness that the Executive and General Members of the Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (...
16/04/2026

*DWAN MOURNS!!!

It is with deep sadness that the Executive and General Members of the Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN) regret to announce the passing of Hajiya Amina Ahmed, Former Vice President of DWAN.

We mourn the loss of a committed leader, a strong advocate, and a valued member of our community whose contributions to the growth and empowerment of Deaf Women in Nigeria will not be forgotten.

Her dedication, service, and impact remain part of DWAN’s legacy, and she will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with her.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to her immediate family, friends, DWAN, and the entire Deaf community during this difficult time.

May her soul rest in perfect peace.

DWAN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

Eid Mubarak from the Deaf Women Association of Nigeria May this blessed season of Eid Al-Fitr fill our lives with countl...
20/03/2026

Eid Mubarak from the Deaf Women Association of Nigeria

May this blessed season of Eid Al-Fitr fill our lives with countless new beginnings.
Let’s continue to spread love, kindness, and hope to those around us.
Happy Eid al-Fitr.

08/03/2026

*International Women’s Day 2026 – A Message from Deaf Women Aloud Initiative*

Today, we join the global community in celebrating the strength, courage, and leadership exhibited by women around the world. We pay tribute to mothers, sisters, daughters, mentors, and trailblazers—both hearing and deaf, including our Sign language interpreters—whose daily endeavors contribute to the development of families, communities, and nations.

However, this celebration must also encompass a commitment to truth-telling: Deaf women and girls frequently remain invisible. They are often excluded from conversations, left behind in educational settings, and omitted from decision-making arenas. They encounter dual barriers—gender bias and audism—that hinder access to education, justice, employment, and particularly healthcare. Achieving equality necessitates dismantling these barriers so that deaf women and girls can lead, work, and flourish on an equal footing with others.

At DWAI, we have witnessed the transformative power of providing Deaf girls with information in their native language: confidence increases, voices are amplified, and leaders emerge. In rural communities, young women learn that protection from abuse is their right and that leadership is not exclusively reserved for boys. However, in the realm of health—especially concerning sexual and reproductive health and rights—the system remains largely inaccessible to them. Clinics rarely offer sign language interpretation; information regarding contraception, maternal care, safe abortion (where legal), and support for gender-based violence seldom reaches them in a comprehensible language. Due to invisibility in design, Deaf women are subjected to heightened risks and denied dignity.

This International Women’s Day, our call is resolute: include Deaf women and girls in every sphere—health policy, budgets, curricula, peacebuilding—and compensate interpreters appropriately, rather than merely offering lip service. Acknowledge sign language rights as fundamental human rights. Establish genuine systems within health services to ensure SRHR information and care are accessible. Invest in solutions led by Deaf women.

To Deaf women and girls across Nigeria and beyond: we recognize you. Your hands embody wisdom, resilience, and vision. Lead with confidence; we stand beside you.

Their rights are human rights. Equality is non-negotiable.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Signed:
Hellen Udoye Beyioku-Alase
Executive Director

*International Women’s Day 2026 – Deaf Women Association of Nigeria Headquarters*From Kano to Calabar, deaf women are in...
08/03/2026

*International Women’s Day 2026 – Deaf Women Association of Nigeria Headquarters*

From Kano to Calabar, deaf women are integral to the functioning of Nigeria—serving as market traders, farmers, technicians, students, caregivers, and elected officials who shape the future of our nation. Today, the DWAN Headquarters celebrate their leadership and acknowledge the barriers that persist.

Deaf women are frequently excluded from classrooms, courtrooms, public transport information, and decision-making processes due to the intersection of gender bias, communication exclusion, and poverty. News bulletins often lack interpreters; vocational trainers deliver instruction without visual support; and meetings occur without offering Deaf women a seat at the table. When access is denied, talent is squandered, and rights become meaningless.

At DWAN, we conduct peer circles where deaf girls practice self-advocacy, engage with civic documents, and chart pathways to leadership. We guide state chapters in negotiating for interpretation during local council sessions, reviewing school practices that marginalize deaf girls, and documenting rights violations. Progress is achieved when information is accessible in our language and power is equitably distributed, rather than dispensed as charity.

On this International Women’s Day, we urge the government and institutions to institutionalize sign language interpretation, fund inclusive vocational and adult literacy programs, ensure that courts and police stations communicate in ways comprehensible to Deaf women, and allocate seats for Deaf women in policy-making and budgeting forums. It is imperative to implement the Nigerian Sign Language Recognition Bill with dedicated budget allocations, rather than mere symbolic gestures. Sign language rights are, indeed, human rights.

To the Deaf women and girls throughout Nigeria: DWAN acknowledges and supports you. Your hands hold the solutions. Lead, and we will organize in support of your efforts.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Yesterday signified the conclusion of our four-day Training of Trainers for Deaf Adolescent Girls. The day commenced wit...
06/03/2026

Yesterday signified the conclusion of our four-day Training of Trainers for Deaf Adolescent Girls. The day commenced with our champions confidently stepping forward to deliver their presentation on various topics from the adolescent girls’ training manual. Their presentations were both impressive and inspiring, clearly demonstrating their readiness to train other girls within their communities.

Following the presentations, each participant was proudly awarded a Certificate of Completion, symbolizing the successful culmination of the training. Mrs. Hellen Beyioku-Alase, President of DWAN, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to all involved for their patience, dedication, time, and support in making the training a resounding success. She encouraged the champions to remain courageous, confident, and committed to disseminating the knowledge they have acquired to other adolescent girls. Furthermore, she conveyed her anticipation of witnessing them in the future, standing proudly as trainers and empowering even more young girls.

Additionally, she extended her thanks to the representatives from the Ministry of Education in Kaduna and Niger State, as well as to the teachers and others who participated in the training, for their invaluable guidance over the past four days.

The representative from the Kaduna State Ministry of Education also expressed appreciation to the program organizers. She remarked on the unexpected nature of such a valuable opportunity for their students and thanked the organizers for deeming their school worthy of the training. She further shared the immediate impact, as the Head Girl of Kaduna State Special Education School has already commenced teaching other girls in her school upon returning from the training.

Similarly, the representative from the Niger State Ministry of Education conveyed deep gratitude to the organizers for providing their students with this opportunity and wished everyone a safe journey back to their respective destinations.

The training concluded with joyful group photographs, celebrating the knowledge shared, the friendships forged, and the champions who are now poised to effect positive change among adolescent girls in their communities.

We are grateful for the collaboration and support we got from the Ipas Nigeria health foundation

Training Session on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)Today’s session during our Training of Trainers focused on an ...
04/03/2026

Training Session on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Today’s session during our Training of Trainers focused on an important and sensitive topic — Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). The teaching was delivered by the DWAN President in partnership with IPAS Nigeria Health Foundation.
Participants were educated on the signs and symptoms of STIs, including unusual lumps, sores, abnormal discharge, and other warning signs that require immediate medical attention. It was clearly explained that untreated STIs can become very dangerous and may lead to serious long-term health complications such as infertility, organ damage, and an increased risk of HIV infection.
We emphasized that while some STIs can be treated and cured, others cannot be cured but can only be medically managed.
This highlights the importance of early testing, proper treatment, and prevention.
The girls were strongly encouraged to:
Avoid unsafe sexual practices
Refrain from sharing personal belongings such as sharp objects (razors, needles, or blades)
Seek immediate medical care when symptoms appear
Avoid self-medication
The session was interactive, informative, and empowering. Our adolescent champions are gaining the knowledge, confidence, and courage to protect themselves and to educate others in their communities.
We appreciate the collaboration between DWAN and IPAS Nigeria Health Foundation in strengthening sexual and reproductive health education for Deaf adolescent girls.

Day Three of Four – Training of Trainers for Deaf Adolescent Girls Today, we commenced our training with a comprehensiv...
04/03/2026

Day Three of Four – Training of Trainers for Deaf Adolescent Girls
Today, we commenced our training with a comprehensive review of the principal lessons from the preceding two days. Our participants actively engaged in the session and confidently articulated their acquired knowledge. Following the review, we conducted a stimulating exercise through dance, which invigorated participants and fostered a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

Subsequently, we proceeded with our discourse on HIV and AIDS. During this session, we underscored the fact that menstruation is a natural biological process experienced by every woman and girl. It signifies normal growth and indicates that the reproductive system is functioning correctly. There is no reason for embarrassment or abnormality associated with menstruation.

Conversely, HIV and AIDS are not natural conditions. HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is an infection that occurs when the virus infiltrates the body and compromises the immune system — the body's defense mechanism against diseases. HIV may progress to AIDS, or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, the advanced stage of the infection characterized by severe weakening of the immune system.

We ensured that participants clearly understood the distinction: menstruation is normal and healthy, while HIV and AIDS are medical conditions instigated by a virus that necessitates prevention, testing, and appropriate treatment.

The session facilitated an environment conducive to inquiries, clarification, and discussion to guarantee comprehensive understanding. We are encouraged by the participants’ growing confidence and knowledge as they prepare to disseminate accurate and responsible education to others.

Address

Office 4A Alhaji Saliu's Plaza, Opposite Abuja School For The Deaf, Kuje, Off Kuje-Gwagwalada Road, Pasali
Port Harcourt
234

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
Saturday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+2348037500671

Website

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