Canada-based Nigerian licensed immigration advisor and convener Leadership Conference, Edmonton Canada, Dr. Lina Mba, has said that mentoring of teenage girls who dropped out of school due to pregnancy form the thrust of this year’s Leadership Conference holding in Edmonton Canada in August.
She said proceeds from the conference will be used to procure equipment and training opportunities to develop skills that will fetch the girls revenue as well as contribute to the local economy.
Dr. Mba who spoke online said: “Some proceeds of the forthcoming event will go to support our Girl-child Project. We are currently mentoring teenage girls that dropped out of school due to pregnancy and are having challenges going back to school.
These proceeds will help them get equipped with equipment and training to develop a skill that can turn into a source of revenue and contribute to their local economy.”
She recalled that mental health awareness among Black communities was the theme of last year’s edition because there were high incidences of suicide and depression among Black communities in Canada.
She noted that creating a platform to spread awareness is important because “we want to save people and let them know that things will be okay in due time and suicide is not an option.”
According to her, “Many people in the Black community are suffering in silence because they are shamed and mocked when they discuss their mental health challenges. We need to be able to have these difficult conversations to thrive as a community.”
She disclosed that this year’s leadership conference, which will be held on August 26, will be streamed and will attract top Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and potential investors from all over the world. “We will have some Canadian politicians in attendance. Awards will be given to a select few,” she added.
On the quality of speakers at last year’s conference, Mba said there were a diverse set of speakers that included Mr. Justin Brittany and Mr. Scott who are whites.
She explained that mental health is not discussed in the Black community and that having Black dignitaries facilitate the event is important as this provides reliability. Among the facilitators at last year were Mrs. Funky Banjoko, who is the first Black councilor in the city of Fort McMurray, Mrs. Sochi Ogbonna who was appointed by the government of Alberta as Co-chair of the Alberta Anti-Racism Advisory Council (AARAC), and Minister KC Madu who has excelled in Canadian politics.
