GIFA

01/10/2025

AKWA IBOM FIRST LADY DESIGNATE, LADY HELEN ENO OBAREKI, CELEBRATES NIGERIA @65 🇳🇬

Today, as our beloved nation marks 65 years of independence, Lady Helen Eno Obareki joins millions of Nigerians in celebrating the strength, resilience, and unity that define us as a people.

She extends heartfelt wishes for peace, progress, and prosperity, while urging citizens to remain steadfast in faith and hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria! 💚🤍💚

01/10/2025

🇳🇬NIGERIA IS 65 !

65 years of resilience.
65 years of unity in diversity.

Nigeria - a story of hope, strength and grit. Today, we celebrate the greatness that lies ahead of us.

The best of Nigeria is yet to unfold.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!

25/09/2025

AKWA IBOM FIRST LADY DESIGNATE CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY BABIES WITH GIFTS

To mark the 38th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State creation, the First Lady Designate, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, celebrated 38 newborn babies across three hospitals with cash and gift items.
At UUTH, Uyo, where she was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Inibehe Silas Etukudo, Lady Obareki thanked God for the safe deliveries and prayed for the health of the mothers and children. A family who welcomed quadruplets after 20 years of marriage named their first child after her.

Her delegation also visited St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, and Immanuel General Hospital, Eket, sharing love and support with nursing mothers. Medical staff in all facilities expressed appreciation to the Governor and First Lady Designate for their compassion and generosity.

GIFA Team

25/09/2025

FOR THE FAMILY & SOCIETY – WHY BREASTFEEDING MATTERS

1. Cost-Effective (Saves Money):
Breast milk is free! Families don’t have to spend money on formula, bottles, sterilizers, or fuel for boiling water. This means more money can be used for other family needs like food, school, or healthcare.

2. Convenient:
Breast milk is always ready—no mixing, no heating, no risk of contamination. It is naturally clean, safe, and at the perfect temperature. This makes feeding easier, especially at night or when traveling.

3. Environmental Benefits:
Breastfeeding helps protect the environment. It reduces waste from formula cans, bottles, and packaging. It also lowers the pollution caused by formula production and transportation. Breastfeeding is nature’s way of caring not only for babies but also for the planet.

25/09/2025

FOR THE MOTHER – WHY BREASTFEEDING IS GOOD FOR YOU

1. Promotes Bonding:
Breastfeeding is more than feeding—it’s a moment of love and closeness. The skin-to-skin contact creates a strong emotional connection between you and your baby. It helps the baby feel safe, while you feel more attached and confident as a mother.

2. Helps Recovery After Birth:
When you breastfeed, your body releases a hormone called oxytocin, which makes the womb (uterus) contract. This helps reduce bleeding after delivery and allows the uterus to return to its normal size more quickly.

3. Lowers Risk of Illnesses:
Breastfeeding protects mothers, too. It reduces the risk of serious health problems like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. This means that choosing to breastfeed is also a way of protecting your own long-term health.

4. Calorie Burning (Weight Control):
Making breast milk uses up energy, which helps your body burn extra calories. This makes it easier to lose pregnancy weight and return to your pre-pregnancy shape faster—while still nourishing your baby.

25/09/2025

FOR THE BABY – WHY BREASTFEEDING IS IMPORTANT

1. Complete Nutrition:
Breast milk is like the perfect food made just for your baby. It has the right amount of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that help the baby grow strong and healthy. Unlike formula, it changes as the baby grows, giving exactly what the baby needs at every stage.

2. Immunity Boost (Protection from Sickness):
Breast milk is full of antibodies – natural fighters that protect your baby from infections like cough, diarrhea, pneumonia, and ear infections. It’s like the baby’s first vaccine, building a strong immune system right from birth.

3. Brain Development:
Breast milk contains special healthy fats, especially DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid), which help the baby’s brain grow. Babies who are breastfed often have better memory, learning ability, and overall mental development.

4. Reduced Risk of Diseases:
Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from long-term illnesses such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, obesity, and even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This means breastfeeding can give your child a healthier future.

5. Easier Digestion:
Breast milk is very gentle on a baby’s stomach. Babies digest it faster and more easily than formula, which reduces stomach problems, constipation, and colic (baby tummy pain). This helps babies stay comfortable and happy.

19/09/2025

GOLDEN INITIATIVE FOR ALL
GIFA

18/09/2025

07/09/2025

LADY HELEN OBAREKI APPLAUDS TINUBU FOR TACKLING UNEMPLOYMENT

…Lauds Gov. Eno for People-centric Programmes

The Co-ordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for tackling unemployment through the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI). She described the initiative as a timely and effective intervention in addressing youth unemployment across the country.

Speaking at the flag-off of the second phase of RHEI on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at the Federal Secretariat Conference Hall, Uyo, Lady Obareki—represented by Dr. Inemesit Uwah, wife of the Secretary to the State Government—also applauded Governor Umo Eno for aligning state policies with federal programmes to improve the living standards of Akwa Ibom people.

She urged beneficiaries to embrace the programme wholeheartedly, noting that financial independence not only empowers individuals but also strengthens the nation’s economy. She further advised the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) team to intensify monitoring and follow-up on participants to ensure effective skill application.

In his keynote address, the Director-General of NDE, H.E. Silas Ali Agara, revealed that over 30,000 unemployed Nigerians were trained during the first phase of RHEI, with 5,532 resettled through loans and starter packs. He announced that 41,307 more beneficiaries will be trained in 30 different skill sets under the second phase.

Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of NDE, Mrs. Uduak Effiong Essien, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to job creation and empowerment. She urged participants to take the programme seriously, demonstrating discipline and dedication throughout their training.

07/09/2025

LADY HELEN ENO OBAREKI ADVOCATES INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AND GENDER EQUITY AT GS-25 SUMMIT

Lady Helen Eno Obareki, Co-ordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, has called for inclusive, people-centred governance and stronger gender equity in Nigeria. She made this appeal during the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 (GS-25) in Abuja, themed “From Policy to Practice: First Ladies as Catalysts for Norm Change and Economic Empowerment.”

Speaking at the exclusive First Ladies’ session, Lady Obareki emphasized that policy innovation must move beyond theory to address the real challenges of citizens, particularly women and youth. “When women and youths are deliberately included in decision-making, the results extend beyond empowerment—they drive national progress,” she said.

She expressed firm support for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, which seeks to increase women’s representation in the National and State Assemblies, stressing that women’s perspectives are vital for inclusive and impactful policymaking. She also unveiled plans to train 1,000 girls in Akwa Ibom, shifting from short-term charity to sustainable empowerment programmes.

Lady Obareki commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her nationwide period poverty initiative, and Governor Umo Eno for his ARISE Agenda, which has created opportunities for women and girls. She reaffirmed her vision for an Akwa Ibom where girls are confident, economically independent, and free to achieve their full potential.

01/09/2025

WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER!
HAPPY NEW MONTH!