MEET OUR FOUNDER

Our founder and coordinator, Mrs. Lydia Way was born in Ramindop ‘‘B’’ Village, DuyaDistrict, Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State, Nigeria. She graduated in 1978 from the well renowned Ahamdu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. She has combined Honors degree in Education and Political science. 

She is a former Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna, senior lecturer who is now retired. When she joined the Nigerian Council for Women Societies (NCWS) in 1986, she became one of the pioneer members who carried the organization to Northern Nigeria, thereby boosting the involvement and contribution of women in nation building. This marked the beginning of her interest and involvement in social activities.

She became the first financial secretary of the NCWS, representing the Northern part of Nigeria until 1989. She was a participant and an awardee during the first ever women program ‘‘Better Life for Rural Women’’ in Lagos, organized by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Late Mrs. Mariam Badamasi Babangida.

In 2004, she was invited to join a Forum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE) an International NGO headquartered at Nairobi, Kenya and rose from being the Kaduna state Coordinator to becoming the Regional Coordinator, FAWE North Central, covering seven states in Nigeria.

Mrs. Lydia Wya attended several trainings organized by the Federal Ministry of Education addressing the issues of Girl Child Education, school based management committee establishment, etc. being a passionate volunteer and supporter of Angel NGO in Kaduna, and shewas involved with addressing the issues of the physical challenged in Nigeria. She then started a community based NGO in 5005, UPGRADE INITIATIVE GROUP, registered with Kaduna state Ministry of NGO and Social Development, which later changed to COMMUNITY LIFE UPGRADE INITITIATIVE, C.A.C Reg. NO. 49834, with social emphasis on rural communities.

The founder has participated in many activities, including the final draft of Nigeria’s policy on the rights of the Nigerian child. She is a graduate of the institute for National Transformation, a Leadership training institute in Abuja, Nigeria. She has attended several conferences on Non-Government Organizations. The leadership of CLUI also received training through the institutefor national transformation. Mrs. Lydia Wya is a passionate promoter of women empowerment, an aggressive encourager of girl child education, and a youth counselor passionate about the transformation of rural dweller’s lives especially through education and economic empowerment.

AFFILIATIONS

CLUI is a registered member of:

1. Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for ALL (CSACEFA)

2. Association of Organizations of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria (AOVCN).

3. CLUI is registered with both Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs as well as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in Abuja.