Mrs. Simi-simji Goshwe (MNIM, FCILG, PHF, AMSP) Founder/Executive Director Simji Girl-child Empowerment Initiative & Orphanage SGEIO & Simji Integrated Academy (SIA).
“I am a woman, managing an Orphanage for Girl-children who will grow to become women like me, that is women supporting women.”
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the work that you do?
I am Chaplain, Rotarian, Mrs. Simi Angelina Goshwe; the Founder and Executive Director of Simji Girl-child Empowerment Initiative Orphanage (SGEIO), Jos, Plateau State. I came from a very humble background, born to Da & Ngo Chuhwak Peters Mwankon. I am the first to complete Secondary School from my lineage. You can imagine what that means, which inspired me greatly. It made me realize early what I wanted in life; I wanted to fly over across the sky and make an impact.
SGEIO began in 2001 as Simji Stitches, Hair & Nails during the crisis in Jos. I graduated from the College of Education Gindiri in 1998 ( where I got the vision to do Simji). Soon after graduation, I got employed to teach which I am happily doing till date. By the year 2000, I bought 2 sewing machines, 2 hair dryers, and then a host of other items that I needed to run a saloon and a tailoring outfit. Through that outfit: Simji Stitches, Hair & Nails, I invited many young girls all around Hwolshe in Jos. We began to recruit them from the streets to come in to be trained on hair making and tailoring for free. By 2008, we had trained 168 young girls with a few boys all free.
Fast forward to March, 2010, there was another crisis in Jos and over 500 people were killed in one night in Dogonahawa (Dyambueuk) in Jos South LGA of Plateau state. For many weeks, I and some of the Board of Trustees of SGEIO were going to Dogonahawa with different household items, food and clothing. But later on, we discovered that was not very effective, and so we started teaching them basic skills like Soap Making, Hair Creams, Pomade with basic financial management.
Later on, the crisis broke out in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state, with many people rendered homeless within a short period of time. So we started going to Riyom and began to teach them the same skills we taught the Women and children in Dogonahawa. As we went there, we began to notice that young girls of about 12-14 years age in the IDP Camp were getting pregnant. We saw the need to open a safe home for these girls, especially the Orphaned girls. We rented a three bedroom apartment in Kangang Phase 2 Dadin Kowa Jos where we opened Simji Girl-child Empowerment Initiative & Orphanage.
How fulfilling and challenging has this been for you as a woman?
To tell the truth, this is my happiest Mission Field. Sometimes, we go soliciting on behalf of these children to be able to put food on the table and pay school fees for them. Even though the support doesn’t come that easy, but above all we are happy that we have been able to make a difference in the lives of these children with the support from some of our partners, friends and family members. We also have a few sustainability businesses where we raise part of our funds.
How important is girl-child education to Nigeria’s development?
The importance of girl-child Education cannot be overemphasized. I am the first to go to secondary school in my lineage and today, I am a Ph.D Student with the University of Jos. If I had not gone to school, I would probably not be able to give support to these Girl children. It is important to educate the girl-child so that she is able to make informed choices and also contribute meaningfully to the decision making processes. We can see the importance of education with the contributions of Prof. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, the Late Prof Dora Akunyili, my foster mother late Ngo Theresa Musa, Chief Mrs Sarah Dagah, Chief Mrs Felicia Sodipo, Nrad Adamu, Mercy Hengnaan Manga, Toyin Phyllis Wiggins, Fatima Binta Sulieman and many others.
There is a belief that women don’t support women, how true is that?
I have never believed that statement, and I will never believe it. I am a woman, managing an orphanage for Girl-children who will one day grow to become women like me, that is women supporting women. My beautiful sister, Chief NGO Sarah Dagah is a wonderful woman supporting other women. My world is built around other women; so I find it hard to believe that women don’t support women.
8th of March is International Women’s Day, how best do you think we can celebrate Nigerian Women for all that they are doing?
Women truly need to be supported and celebrated. For women who are adding value and blooming where they’re planted. There is a need to support them. I am inspired to be an exceptional woman and I will continue to do more for humanity as a woman . No matter what we are passing through right now. As women we need to encourage ourselves; we have to push forward until we get to our desired and expected future.
What achievements of yours are you most proud of as a woman?
I am proud of the educational level that I have attained as a woman; with respect to my family background. I am also proud that SGEIO has trained over Twelve thousand women and Girl-children on different Economic Empowerment skills across Nigeria.