Nextzon celebrates with achievers on #InternationalWomenDay2018

Nkechi Ikpeazu (nee Nwakanma) was born at Ohanze Isiaha in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State. She attended Community Primary School Ohanze; Girls High School, Aba; Teacher Training College Ihie; Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri; Enugu State University of Science and Technology Enugu; University of Nigeria Nsukka; and the National Open University of Nigeria.

Her curriculum vitae reveals an innate, constant yearning for self-improvement. Qualifications she possesses include a First School-Leaving Certificate, a West African School Certificate, a Teacher Training Certificate, an NCE in Business Studies, a Bachelor’s Degree in Cooperatives and Rural Development, a post graduate Diploma in Management and a Master’s Degree in Management. She is currently pursuing a doctorate at the Abia State University, Uturu.

She has had varied working experiences as a teacher, a ten-year stint as a banker with Lobi Bank between 1986 and 1996, and as a Registrar of Cooperatives with Abia State Government. She is happily married to the current Governor of Abia State Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. The marriage is blessed with four children. Mrs. Ikpeazu is a Deaconess of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and professes a close relationship with God.

Nkechi Ikpeazu’s loves cooking and is very skilled with a sewing machine. She enjoys sports and was on the athletic team of her high school. She relaxes with physical workouts and cycling.  She was recently invested as a Matron of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria. She is a sports philanthropist and the major promoter of the national women football premier league club side, Abia Angels FC.

Mrs. Ikpeazu is highly involved with charity, the promotion of human rights and better living. She is currently championing the rights of the girl child, as well as an expansive fight against teenage pregnancy, child trafficking, baby factories and other forms of abuse. She has set up an NGO, the Vicar Hope Foundation(VHF) whose major focus is the elimination of sickle cell disorder. VHF has built a sickle cell hospital/diagnosis centre in Umuahia that offers treatment to patients.

As the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Ikpeazu is the prime mover of the Abia State Free School Meal Initiative which provides mid-day meals to pupils in the public primary school system. She has determinedly continued to push the programme which is private-sector driven, mobilizing foodstuff and donations from corporate bodies and individuals including farmers and traders. She personally monitors the serving of the free school meals to pupils in primary schools across the state, ensuring the food meet hygiene standards and dietary requirements for growing children. Her activities in this area set the stage for Federal Government to adopt Abia State as one of the pilot state for its National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

Mrs. Ikpeazu has carried out several projects. Amongst them are:

• The construction of 38 nos of 3-bedroom bungalows for 38 indigent Abians under her Vicar Hope Foundation’s Widows/Indigent Shelter Scheme (WISS)
• The ongoing Skill Acquisition training for 1,065 persons. 300 have been trained and set up with startup capital and equipment. An additional 328 persons have received empowerment equipment and funds to start small businesses
• The ongoing de-worming programme for 213,000 primary school pupils in Abia State
• The distribution of Maternity kits to 1,350 expectant mothers
• The training of 300 health personnel on Neonatal Resuscitation in collaboration with Nestle and NISONM
• The distribution of 328 wheelchairs and crutches to physically disabled
• The sponsorship of the Nkechi Ikpeazu Annual National Open Para-badminton Championship & Nkechi Ikpeazu Inter-Ministerial Women’s Sports Competition
• The distribution of 4000 books and learning materials to public school pupils
• The completed 3-sets of classroom blocks constructed in Obingwa LGA through Vicar Hope Foundation
• The sets of Classroom furniture donated to schools in Bende, Ikwuano, and Obingwa LGAs
• The free fitting of prosthesis to 150 amputees
• The Vicar Hope Foundation (VHF) Rural Medical Outreach to remote communities.
• The free Diabetes screening and Campaigns
• The ongoing Seminars on detecting Breast Cancer throughout the State
• The ongoing Statewide Sickle Cell campaign
• The ongoing Construction of Market stalls in 10 rural markets
• The ongoing Water and Sanitation (borehole and toilet) projects in rural communities
• The constant hospital visitation and the payment of hospitals bills of indigent patients.