Sahara Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of oil and energy firm, Sahara Energy has made young film-maker Zuriel Oduwole the face of the gender and girl child empowerment initiatives of the foundation.

This forms part of Sahara Energy’s commitment to promote equitable and inclusive quality education for all in line with the fourth agenda of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

“Empowering the youth, especially the girl child, is a goal that Sahara supports strongly and which has seen it rolling out a number of educational and training initiatives across Africa”, Manager of Sahara Foundation Seyi Ojurongbe said when he announced the formal appointment.

With some 75 percent of the world’s poor living in Africa, poverty eradication remains an enormous challenge. Achieving the SDGs presents a great opportunity to reverse that and make considerable inroads in eradicating poverty.

Sustainable Development Goal 4 has 10 targets encompassing many different aspects of education. There are seven targets which are expected outcomes and three targets which are means of achieving these targets.

Speaking to Joy Business after accepting her appointment, Zuriel said, “Entering into this partnership with Sahara Foundation will avail to me a wide-range of help and support from the foundation and through this, I hope to go farther in teaching and empowering girls in the art of film-making”.

“I am so passionate about SDG 4 and I am going to work to ensure I contribute my quota in achieving this particular goal” she added.

Zuriel Elise Oduwole is Nigerian American, an education advocate and film maker best known for her works on the advocacy for the education of girls in Africa.

In December 2015, she formally launched her DUSUSU Foundation aimed at building partnerships with corporation and individuals, to develop the education capabilities of children, but especially the girl child, across the globe.

While showing gratitude to Zuriel for accepting the appointment, Tosin Etomi, the Country Manager for Sahara Energy added, “initiatives like the one undertaken by Sahara and Zuriel at the Tema Manhean Secondary Technical School during which Zuriel took a number of female students through the art of film-making will have positive impacts on a whole community”.

Sahara Foundation has undertaken a number programmes and initiatives across Africa in areas such as education, training, health among others. Sahara Energy sits on the advisory board of the UN’s SDG-Fund and for years, the oil giant has been making a strong case for collaborative efforts towards achieving the SDGs.