Education

We’re working to ensure that girls and boys have the education and skills to live productive and fulfilled lives.

All children, regardless of where they live or their background and circumstances, have the right to quality education. See how The Rising Hope Initiative supports children so they can attend school and learn, with the goal of empowering them to reach their full potential.

Education is recognized as a legal right of every child by the United Nations. Nonetheless, despite tremendous progress on access to education because of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education remains a privilege that is inaccessible to many children.

According to UNICEF, around 10 million children in Nigeria are not attending school, the largest number in the world. While the Northwestern states of Nigeria are the most afflicted, other states like Ogun state contribute to the education gap as well.

Many factors contribute to the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, including high poverty rates, insecurity and terrorism, and the COVID-19 epidemic, which has had an impact on children’s learning globally. Gender also plays a factor, as girls are more likely than boys to drop out of school before finishing their first year owing to gender-based violence, child marriage, and discrimination.

The Rising Hope Initiative recognizes that real and lasting change happens when children are developed to become adults who are equipped to create change in their community. Education may open doors to the future for children that would otherwise be closed. But it’s not only about the future; children who grow up in safe circumstances are better protected from exploitation now. Girls, in particular, are protected from abuse and early marriage.

Therefore, through our education program, we are helping children develop hope for their future and a desire to be change agents in their families and communities. Through our interventions, parents and caregivers are being sensitized and educated on the importance of supporting their children’s education; teachers are being trained, and children are enjoying access to in-school and after-school learning opportunities.

Our progress:

• Through sessions targeted to raise awareness about the importance of education, 5,187 community people were reached.
• 4,103 reading and school materials were distributed to schools and communities.
• In-school or after-school literacy programmes were attended by 4,048 students.
• A total of 1,246 caregivers were trained to support and develop their children’s reading skills.
• 3,456 parents and carers are actively involved in and supportive of their children’s lifelong education.
• In efforts to boost children’s literacy, 1,256 teachers and school committee members have been trained.
• 224 students who had previously dropped out of school have re-enrolled or are actively participating in after-school literacy initiatives.