Nigeria has 774 local government areas in its six geopolitical zones. In each of these local governments, low-level income earners have had a series of challenges as the pandemic has had an effect on their livelihoods. These people look for aid to assist them to get back on their feet.
In Abuja Nigeria, Bedoof Abireh, a girl child advocate is working with other volunteers to bridge the gap between low-income families and internally Displaced Persons Camps and education. His motivation stems from his experience as a child.
"Growing up, I noticed that other children’s parents helped them with their homework, but my dad was always away trying to make ends meet, while my mom who was always with us did not have any form of education, so she couldn’t help us. I saw the same trait which was in my mom in many other girls in my community. Four years ago, I became determined to create a safe space for these girls to learn and this led me to create the 'Girls Space Charity Foundation’.
Beedof has successfully led the grassroots campaigns, sensitization, outreaches, leadership, entrepreneurship, and skills acquisition training for women and girls across seven communities within Abuja Municipal Area Council in just one year including the Internally Displaced Persons Camp. Beedof mentors girls in IDP camps in order for them to move past the trauma they underwent and to embrace their new reality.
"I never believed I would go back to school after the pandemic, I thought that once again all was lost," says Ladi Philemon.
"Uncle Beedof told me to always believe in myself and to work hard. He said if I keep believing and work on myself, that one day I would see results" says Maryam Philemon.
Post Covid19 lockdown, Ladi and Maryam Philemon are now back to school as a result of scholarships provided by advocates working in the Internally Displaced Persons Camp.
In Ibadan Nigeria, Gloria Ayodeji is a girl child advocate. Her goal is to be the voice of girls who are finding it difficult to navigate through their adolescent lives. Her initiative named 'Girl Child Innovative Hub' seeks to equip girls with the skills necessary in assisting them to be independent members of society, by connecting them with mentors and trainers who would teach them how to achieve their goals.
Her inspiration stems from a seminar she attended in 2017. The topic of discussion resonated with her. She, as a result, decided that she would be the change she wanted to see in her community. Gloria and her team have connected several girls to entrepreneur mentors and these girls have learned a wide range of skills. During the lockdown, Gloria created online training sessions for girls to learn design.
Karimot Odebode is a performance poet, writer, and activist from Ibadan Nigeria.
She is the founder and project lead of the 'Black Girl’s Dream Initiative (BGDI)' – a youth-led organization that works to end Female Genital Mutilation; promotes Education and leadership through Arts, Advocacy, and Technology.
The Black Girl’s Dream Initiative has over the years mentored hundreds of teenagers in the art of public speaking, debate, and self-confidence. She is a graduate of Law from Obafemi Awolowo University.
She was inspired by the opportunities she had speaking in front of dignitaries as a child. She believes that creating similar opportunities for girls would give them the confidence they need to stand up for themselves in whatever situations they are faced with.
Black Girl’s Dream Initiative was faced with several sensitive tasks during the lockdown, one of which was an incident of sexual assault on a six-year-old girl. As of date, no justice has been served, but Karimot continues to advocate for this for the girl and other girls.
Eseni Peace Deborah is a recent graduate of the University of Benin. Deborah is very well aware of the importance of Education and has invested her time in teaching children in local communities around her. She founded GIFT A CHILD Initiative in the year 2020 and has assisted over 2000 children since then.
Gift a Child initiative, with activities in local communities in Benin, Edo State, and Kwara state, is centered on helping the underprivileged children facing both inadequate economic support and emotional care. Deborah draws her inspiration from the desire to provide quality education. Recently, Gift A Child Initiative assisted a young girl and her three siblings who just lost their mother. These girls and their brother were out of school with their older sister fending for them. Deborah and her team placed the children under the tutelage of a lesson teacher and currently, the second girl from this family is back in school.
Kawthar Omisore believes in a world where every child, regardless of his or her background, is given access to quality education and necessary skills, fundamental to him or her thriving as an individual especially in the 21st century. Kawthar is a 400level student at the University of Ibadan. She’s a part of One Africa child and Sharing Life Africa which are platforms dedicated to providing quality education for children in low-income communities. She is also a member of Black Girl’s Dream Initiative, A platform dedicated to disrupting the patriarchal traditions in today’s society.
During the pandemic, Kawthar gathered girls from her neighborhood using what she called 'The No Gate Principle’, she approached houses without a fence and families where parents were struggling to keep their children up to date with school activities during the lockdown.
Kawthar provided a safe place for these children to learn, teaching them how to read fluently and also develop digital skills. These people look to aid in assisting them to get back on their feet.
Project-- Keeping Girls in the Picture Campaign for UNESCO
