ATLAS Initiative Empowers Persons with Disabilities in Lagos with Livelihood Skills, SGBV Awareness, and Free Medical Screening
Persons with disabilities and other marginalized residents in Lagos, have received a major boost in their fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), following a targeted empowerment programme by ATLAS Initiative Nigeria in partnership with Irish Aid.
Under its ELiTE Project, the organization delivered a comprehensive intervention combining upcycling skills training, SGBV sensitization, and on-site medical screening — all designed to reduce vulnerability and promote dignity among hard-to-reach populations.
The impactful outreach, held at All Saints Anglican Primary School, Yaba, focused on ensuring that persons living with disabilities are not left out of SGBV prevention, response, and support services.
Holistic Protection for 200 Vulnerable Adolescent girls & Young Women:
Through the ELiTE project, ATLAS Initiative adopts a holistic strategy that includes:
Establishment of four safe spaces
Training of community champions
Psychosocial support services
Mobile counselling
Legal aid referrals
Livelihood training (upcycling and reusable pad production)
Community awareness campaigns with climate-resilient messaging
Participants also benefited from free on-site medical screenings, including HIV tests, Hepatitis screening, STI checks, and blood pressure monitoring — strengthening access to essential health services alongside SGBV response support.
Breaking the Silence on SGBV:
During the engagement, some participants disclosed personal experiences of SGBV, underscoring the urgent need for safe, inclusive platforms where survivors can seek help without fear or stigma.
Facilitating the session, Newsconnect reports that the Executive Director of ATLAS Initiative Nigeria, Habeeb Balogun, stressed that persons living with disabilities are often excluded from social protection systems, leaving them more vulnerable to abuse, harmful traditional practices, and limited access to justice and economic opportunities.
Participants received detailed education on various forms of violence — physical, sexual, emotional, and economic — including discussions on consent within marriage and proper reporting channels. Harmful myths, such as the belief that men cannot be raped or that rape cannot occur within marriage, were openly challenged and corrected.
Harmful Norms such as child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and breast ironing were also brought to light.
From Vulnerability to Economic Empowerment:
To tackle poverty-driven vulnerability, participants engaged in hands-on upcycling training using discarded vehicle tyres. Through innovative eco-friendly techniques, they creatively transformed waste materials into functional items such as a mirror and table — equipping them with income-generating skills while promoting environmental sustainability.
Through the ELITE project, ATLAS Initiative Nigeria continues to champion an integrated approach to SGBV prevention — blending awareness, healthcare access, and economic empowerment to help persons with disabilities and marginalized individuals live safer, more independent, and dignified lives.
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