The Her Safety, Her Future HSF 2 project, established by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund in collaboration with Women Community in Africa, the coalition and advocacy arm of Beyond Mentors Community Care Initiative, was officially launched on Saturday, 7 February 2026, at the Front of the Palace of the Sakaruyi of Karu, Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC.
The Project Launch and Media Announcement marked the formal commencement of an initiative designed to strengthen women’s leadership, enhance community protection mechanisms, and promote inclusive governance at the grassroots level. The event brought together 35 participants, including traditional leaders, partner organisations, community members, youth and women representatives, as well as members of the media. The turnout reflected strong community interest and broad stakeholder support for the project.
The programme opened with prayers offered in both Christian and Muslim traditions, followed by welcome remarks delivered by Dr. Maimoona Salim, Chief Operating Officer of Beyond Mentors Community Care Initiative and SI Group. In her address, Dr. Salim expressed appreciation to the palace led by the Sakaruyi of Karu and acknowledged the support of Her Royal Highness, Queen Patricia Narai. She thanked the traditional institution for providing a platform for direct engagement with the community.
Dr. Salim emphasised that the initiative is centred on building sustainable growth and development within the community. She noted that women and young people, particularly young girls, are central to achieving long term transformation. She called on community members to embrace collaboration, learning and unlearning, and the intentional transfer of positive societal values that strengthen leadership capacity and inclusive governance across generations.
Speaking at the launch, the Founder of Beyond Mentors Community Care Initiative and Women Community in Africa, Dr. Khadijah Abdullahi Iya, highlighted the importance of knowledge as a foundation for leadership and development. She stated that while material possessions can be lost, knowledge remains permanent and empowering. According to her, knowledge equips individuals to make informed decisions, strengthens leadership, and has the capacity to protect and transform entire communities.
In her remarks, Her Royal Highness, Queen Patricia Narai spoke passionately about the importance of skill acquisition as a pathway to leadership, economic participation, and community stability. She expressed deep concern over the inability of many youths in the community to acquire practical skills, describing the situation as painful and troubling. The Queen lamented that this gap had contributed to the loss of two prominent youths in the community and called for urgent interventions that prioritise skills development as a tool for inclusion, protection, and participatory governance.
The project was formally declared open by the traditional leadership, marking the official launch of Her Safety, Her Future HSF 2. This was followed by a media briefing session where journalists engaged organisers on the project’s objectives, implementation strategy, and expected impact on women’s leadership and community governance. The media was encouraged to support advocacy, awareness, and accountability efforts around the initiative.
Also speaking during the programme, a beneficiary representative, Josephine Zakwoyi of the Dakachi Stakeholder Group, expressed appreciation to the organisers for prioritising women at a critical time. She lamented the repeated abandonment of women by leaders after unfulfilled promises and expressed hope that the project would deliver meaningful and lasting impact across Karu Local Government Area.
The event concluded with briefings on beneficiary mobilisation for upcoming activities, a vote of thanks, media interactions, and group photographs.
Overall, the launch recorded strong endorsement from the palace of the Sakaruyi of Karu, increased media visibility, strengthened partnerships, and early mobilisation of beneficiaries. Organisers described the event as a significant step towards building inclusive leadership structures, strengthening community protection, and promoting participatory governance through the Her Safety, Her Future HSF 2 project.
