Meet Nkechi Ogbodo, whose NGO gave former Olori Wuraola humanitarian award

By
QEDNG
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Former Olori Wuraola of Ife was named Humanitarian of the in New York at a ceremony coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York over the weekend.

Contrary to the impression created by some online media reports, the award was not given to her by a UN agency, but Kechi’s Project, an organisation founded by a Nigerian named Nkechi Ogbodo.

Her Highness Queen Zaynab awarded Humanitarian of the Year by Kechie’s Project during UN Week in New York, for her outstanding contributions to women and children across the globe. Pictured with Board member, Barbara Modeste and Nkechi Ogbodo (Founder and President). #QueenZaynab #KechiesProject #HHZaynab #HumanitarianoftheYear ____ KP is a non-profit organization committed to empowering girls to become future leaders. The organization provides academic and social support to girls in underserved communities in America and Africa. In addition to providing full educational scholarships, KP provides career training and mentorship to prepare these young women for leadership positions in their communities. Empower a girl and you empower the world.

A post shared by Queen Zaynab (@hhzaynab) on

Below are some of the things we found out about Ogbodo from her organisation’s website.

  1. Born in Jos

Ogbodo was born in Jos, but grew up in Enugu and Lagos State. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Lehman College and a Master of Arts in International Relations from City College of the City University of New York.

  1. Advocate of girls’ right

Despite being born in an Igbo culture in which there a preference for a male child over a female child, Ogbodo was determined at an early age to prove that girls are equally important. She was also fortunate to have had a father who believed in educating girls.

  1. Mother kidnapped in Nigeria

On June 14, 2011, Ogbodo received a phone call from Nigeria that her mother had been kidnapped. The old woman was with her captors for eight weeks. Ogbodo suffered the loss of her father passed a month after her mother’s release.

  1. Worked in the fashion industry

Ogbodo had vast experience in the fashion industry before birthing Kechie’s Project Inc. Years of working for luxury labels and retailers, coupled with her uncanny ability to communicate and relate with people from diverse backgrounds and culture set her apart others.