Rise Up Together Trains 25 Leaders To Drive Evidence Based Social Change

NGO empowers Nigerian leaders to advance gender justice
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‎To improve education, healthcare, and economic prospects for women and girls, Rise Up Together in Nigeria has trained twenty-five leaders committed to driving meaningful social change across communities in Nigeria.

This was made known in Abuja at the close of a six-day 2025 Nigeria Advocacy and Leadership Accelerator Workshop, organized by Rise Up Together with support from Cummins Inc., a global power solutions company.

Addressing newsmen, the Country Director, Rise Up Together, Theresa Effa, noted that the organization identifies passionate leaders focused on women’s empowerment and equips them with targeted training.

Theresa Effa revealed that the programme strengthens leaders working on women’s empowerment and ensures they gain advocacy tools.

She said these also include strategic planning skills and community engagement techniques required to advance systemic change and improve outcomes for underserved populations.

”Rise Up operates in several African countries, across South Asia, and within the United States, building networks of advocates who advance equitable policies and champion the rights of women and girls.”

“In Nigeria, we have worked with NGO leaders since 2014 to promote gender justice for women and girls.”

According to her, ”This year’s activity represents our sixth cohort, strengthening leadership and advocacy capacities nationwide.”

Rise Up Together Country Director revealed that the organization emphasizes policy advocacy, guiding leaders to engage policymakers and institutions to address structural barriers facing women and girls and to achieve sustainable improvements in gender development indicators

“We are also working on gender-based violence, supporting improved laws and policies that protect women and girls. We have trained nearly 200 leaders who now drive change across multiple Nigerian communities,”

Theresa Effa highlighted ongoing advocacy in STEM education, where leaders push for policies encouraging girls’ participation, enabling more women to access science and technology careers as well as benefit from inclusive economic opportunities nationwide.

Also speaking the Director of Strategic Partnerships Rise Up Together, Ms Jennifer Broome noted that the organization was a US-based nonprofit working globally, including Nigeria, to expand advocacy efforts, advance equity for women and girls.

Broome who expressed excitement about training the sixth cohort of leaders, said that their work focuses on strengthening advocacy strategies, improve policy outcomes, and expanding opportunities for women and girls nationwide through impactful community engagement.

“This training will help improve education, healthcare, and economic prospects for women and girls, creating long-term transformational change.

“They will apply the knowledge and skills gained to amplify gender-equity efforts across Nigeria. Their strengthened capacity will drive more inclusive policies and support meaningful reforms benefiting women and girls,” Broome said.

Jennifer Broome noted that the support does not end with the workshop, as Rise Up maintains long-term partnerships with leaders to ensure they have resources, mentorship, and tools needed to implement sustainable advocacy initiatives. READ ALSO: Rise Up Together Launches Initiatives To Empower 25 Visionary Local CSO Leaders 

Broome confirmed that planning for the seventh cohort in 2026 has begun, reflecting the organization’s commitment to continuous leadership development and sustained investment in Nigeria’s gender-equity landscape.

One of the participants, the Executive Director of WAAW Foundation, Ms Oluwatimilehin Onafeso, described the workshop as a “game-changer” that transformed understanding of driving policy-focused social change.

She said the programme deepened her grasp of advocacy concepts and clarified how strategic engagement can influence policies addressing systemic barriers affecting girls and women, especially within science, technology, and education sectors.

Onafeso explained that advocacy involves addressing root causes, not merely meeting community leaders. She said effective change requires influencing policy, ensuring implementation, and working collaboratively with institutions committed to women’s advancement.

“This understanding has transformed my development approach. I am now excited to embed advocacy into every project within the foundation, creating lasting change that improves outcomes for women, families, and communities,” she said.

Another participant, of the Programmes and Partnerships Lead at Every Girl Initiative, Ms Tsakpa Dennis said the training was a career highlight and significantly strengthened her ability to lead high-impact advocacy initiatives.

“The programme equipped me with essential skills to drive large-scale policy change. My organisation is now shifting sixty percent of its focus toward advocacy and influencing to achieve more sustainable development outcomes,” she said.

She noted that the training broadened her organisation’s perspective, shifting emphasis from service delivery alone to promoting long-term solutions through policy reforms and systemic interventions that transform communities.

Dennis expressed hope that the programme would reach more organisations, especially in underserved areas where advocacy capacity is limited, noting its importance for building sustainable, community-driven development models.

“The programme is vital for long-term change, and I hope it continues receiving strong support from corporate partners and government agencies committed to advancing women’s rights and gender justice,” she said.