Ongoing Country-specific Nigeria Education

The NYFF Project – Send Gbagyi Girls to School

Implementing Partner(s): LEAP Africa
Location: Kurudu, Gbagyi community, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja

Background

Over the years, Strong Enough Girls’ Empowerment Initiative (SEGEI) has worked to advance Sustainable Development Goal 4 — quality education, by ensuring the inclusive and equitable education of girls in underserved communities. It has been observed that girls from the Gbagyi community in the Kurudu area of the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) do not attend school. They stay back to tend to the affairs of the home, largely due to traditional norms, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, peer pressure, and financial challenges.

Overview

In a bid to bridge the educational gender disparities in the community, SEGEI, with funding from the Nigeria Youth Future Fund (NYFF) and in partnership with LEAP Africa, enrolled 12 promising out-of-school girls between the ages of 15–25 in school from the Gbagyi community in Kurudu, Abuja. Though the project kicked off later than expected, the girls are currently attending their schools.

Objectives

  1. Bridge the educational gender disparities faced by girls in the Gbagyi community of Kurudu, Abuja.
  2. Enroll out-of-school girls aged 15–25 from the community into formal education.
  3. Engage community and government stakeholders to build sustained support for girl-child education.
  4. Provide the school materials and support needed for the selected girls' successful participation in school.

Activities

Government Stakeholder Awareness Visits

On 15th January 2023, the team paid awareness visits to government parastatals including the Ministries of Health and Women Affairs, and the Secondary Education Board (SEB), to build institutional support for the project.

Community Advocacy Visit

The team held an advocacy meeting with the community leader and other stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of girl-child education and the development it would bring to the community. The community leader gave approval to commence the project.

Parent Consent Meeting

On 21st January 2023, a consent meeting was held with parents in the community, supported by the community leader, to help them understand the project and prepare the girls for successful participation.

Nomination and Selection of Beneficiaries

Following the meetings and advocacy visits, over 21 girls were nominated by community members. The team selected 12 girls who met the selection criteria.

Orientation Program

SEGEI organized an orientation program for the 12 selected beneficiaries to mentally prepare them for the path ahead.

School Enrollment and Materials Distribution

All 12 beneficiaries were enrolled in school and provided with school necessities, including school bags, books, mathematical sets, calculators, pens, and sandals, to ensure quality and inclusive learning.

Outcomes

  • Twelve girls previously kept out of school due to early marriage, teenage pregnancy, financial hardship, and traditional norms are now attending school.
  • Increased community awareness of the importance of girl-child education, supported by buy-in from the community leader and stakeholders.
  • Strengthened relationships with government bodies positioned to support continued girl-child education initiatives in the FCT.

Outputs / Deliverables

  • 12 out-of-school girls from the Gbagyi community enrolled in formal education.
  • Full school starter kits provided to all 12 beneficiaries (bags, books, mathematical sets, calculators, pens, sandals).
  • Formal engagement secured with the Ministries of Health and Women Affairs and the Secondary Education Board.
  • Community leader and stakeholder buy-in secured to enable the project's implementation.
  • Parental consent obtained for all participating girls.

Challenges

The project kicked off later than initially planned.

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