Dame Judith Obiajulu Amaechi (née Nwankwo; born 24 December 1970) is the wife of former Rivers State

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Chibuike Amaechi Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (born 27 May 1965) is a Nigerian politician, he served as the Federal Minister of Transportation of Nigeria from 2015 to 2022 under the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. He resigned to contest for Nigeria's presidency ...

. She is head of the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) which campaigns against

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

, advocates the rights of the women and children, and promotes

gender equity Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...

and Girl Child education. Amaechi was born on 24 December 1970 in Enugu Ukwu, Anambra State. She attended

Federal Government Girls' College, Abuloma Federal Government Girls' College, Abuloma is a girls' secondary school in Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, established in 1975. History Federal Government Girl’s College, Abuloma was set up in 1974 and opened in 1975, in Bokokiri, Port ...

for her secondary education. She then attended

Rivers State University of Science and Technology Rivers State University (RVSU or RSU), formerly Rivers State University of Science and Technology (UST or RSUST), is a university located in the Diobu (Mile III) area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. As of 2021, the vice chancello ...

, where she graduated as an Urban and Regional Planning Professional. She married Chibuike Amaechi and they have three children. Amaechi launched the Empowerment Support Initiative, a

Non-Governmental Organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

(NGO), on 16 October 2008. The NGO provides practical support and advice for women and children, particularly the most disadvantaged. In June 2009, speaking during International Widows Day, Amaechi called for review of native laws and customary practices that cause distress to widows, sometimes throwing them into abject poverty. In March 2010 she visited Israel with the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Manuela George-Izunwa, to inspect farms and discuss training and development of agriculture among women in Rivers State. In 2009 Amaechi sponsored a free mass de-worming program Rivers State children. She was a strong supporter of the Child Rights Act passed in Rivers state in 2010, aiming to prevent abuse of children. In August 2010 she opened a four-week Information and Communication Technology Farm, which provides free computer training in the holidays to junior and senior secondary school students.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amaechi, Judith Living people Nigerian women in politics First ladies and gentlemen of Rivers State Rivers State politicians 1970 births Rivers State University alumni People from Anambra State Nigerian feminists HIV/AIDS activists Nigerian Christians Activists from Rivers State