CHINWE BODE-AKINWANDE
Chinwe is Harvard trained in Consulting and a multi-skilled personnel with world class training and experience in strategy, Marketing Partnerships Marcomms, Digital Marketing, Consulting, Sales, Brand Management, Project Management and Business Development.
She was Project Manager for First Bank Brand Refresh in 2013 and Firstbank 125th Anniversary Jan - March 2019
She is confident, creative and highly qualified professional with over 20 years of distinguished performance. Her broad based background encompasses exceptional work ethics and commitment to organisational objectives within a highly competitive and rapidly changing marketplace.
She is recognised for her ability to work in a multicultural environment, decisive leadership and proven ability to face challenges head-on and execute sound decisions while directing deliverable.
Through her Foundation, Chinwe Bode- Akinwande (CBA) Foundation, she is committed to reach out to underprivileged widows in the society, children that are not privileged to enjoy or partake in what an average child would necessarily enjoy. It also includes women who are disadvantaged, not empowered but have expressed the willingness, power, passion and desire to be resourceful.
CBA Foundation is dedicated to promoting the protection of widows primarily and their vulnerable children in Nigeria, to promote immediate and lasting hope, confidence and courage in their lives.
They are committed to supporting the voice and position of the underprivileged widows in the society through partnerships, empowerment and capacity building.
“I decided to do this because I’m led by God and also, I’ve watched closely, listened to some of the victims of widowhood and I realised that less attention is paid to underprivileged widows. I have friends who are victims and I can tell you, the dehumanization and injustice meted to widows in the country is unimaginable, hence, I decided to contribute my little quota as a selfless act to alleviate their pains.” She said.
Chinwe knows there are a couple of NGO’S around the country but she realised that less attention was paid to under privileged widows. ‘Underprivileged’ she emphasises because she knows there are widows that are privileged perhaps because their husbands left them a Will to fall back on.
“I have heard from my friends who are victims of what they have gone through from the hands of the family they got married to as a result of them being widows. They have been thrown out of the house, their kids were sometimes taken from them, and some of them would go with their kids but must drop the last name, which is the name of their husband.” Chinwe said.
On getting funds for the foundation, Chinwe says the bulk of their funding is through donations from friends, colleagues, members of the society as well as corporate organisations that have over the years partnered with them due to the their belief in the vision not just their impact but what they stand for.
In her words, “We reach out to this individuals by telling them that ‘this is the email address’ and if they need us to send them receipts, we would do. That is our transparency. We allow you to know what your money is being used for. We are grateful to them for their support and implore many more to reach out to us as indeed we cannot do it alone.” Explained Chinwe.
As long as Chinwe is concerned, the government needs to step up its attention on the education sector. “It is indeed a shame that Nigeria is far from meeting United Nation’s 26% limit of National budget that should be used for education. In 2017, it was reported that 7% of the national budget was allocated to education.”
She also opines that skill acquisition is one other way because the unskilled segment of the society is enormous, largely due to the education gap. In Chinwe’s view, this as a very strategic way of bridging the poverty gap.