In alignment with the United Nations theme for the 2024 International Women’s Day commemoration, Invest in Women; Accelerate Progress, Benedicta Oviesu, popularly known as Bennie Griffins, has concluded plans to debut her first Miss Ebony Germany (MEG) beauty pageant for women of African descent in Germany.
According to Bennie, MEG, which is packaged and organized by Bennie Beauty World in Germany is specially designed for young migrant women with the attendant focus on driving inclusion and accelerating progress for women while enhancing cultural diversity, empowerment and fostering integration into German society.
For over a decade, Bennie through The Bennie Griffins Foundation (aka Women As Shinning Light Initiative), has continued to enlighten, counsel and lift women who are hurting, broken and bowed through numerous empowerment initiatives, training and advocacy workshops etc across Nigeria.
My over 14 years of experience in the Women Empowerment and family support sector in Nigeria is instrumental to the vision for Miss Ebony Germany. But this time, it is not just as an empowerment initiative but also as a motivational call for women with Migrant and African women in particular to embrace their true identity, strength and foster integration into German society, while advocating against Human and sex trafficking and patronage.
The advocacy pageantry, scheduled to hold on July 7 at the H4 Hotel in the historic and beautiful city of Kassel, Germany, is another way of driving advocacy through the Art industry and convening the right set of audience under one roof for women inclusion regardless of their races or religion.
She said: We chose Kassel in Germany because it is a culturally diversified city that has consistently been welcoming to all, irrespective of circumstances, race or religion. It is the welcoming nature of the city that has inspired us into organizing an event of this nature to further put a glow on the city and by extension positively impact the people of color in general and Africans in particular. There are many challenges that women face at home and in the society but I believe it is best to look at the doors of opportunity that are open to us and not otherwise.
Germany has a strong framework for women’s right and gender equality, both legally and institutionally. And we hope to use this beauty pageant as a vehicle to galvanize women of color in general into leveraging Germany’s Women rights opportunities. It is an opportunity to transform their lives and achieve personal growth by becoming better versions of themselves, supporting their families and contributing positively to the robust German economy and their home countries.
In Nigeria, I have consistently used the Bennie Griffins Foundation to advocate to intending immigrants to be better enlightened about their desired country of migration before choosing to leave home. Home is home. I usually tell people not to believe promises that their lives will become a bed of roses overseas, it is a complete misinformation and often mixed with falsehood because they don’t tell you what you would go through.
They are not telling you the risk involved because it is unspeakable. Most of these people are only out to use you and If you live long enough, you will definitely say at the end of the day that it was never worth it! Rather, I would say let us hold our leaders accountable in Africa. There is never leadership without followership. You have the greater power, vote wisely. If you must travel abroad, it is better for the purpose of Education, Family reunion, Medical, Business, Vacation etc.
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