According to a news report from Nigerian Tribune, the Milestone Agenda for Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (MAFYEDI), an organisation dedicated to promoting access to quality education, has initiated the 'GetHerBackToSchool' project aimed at empowering marginalized girls in rural communities through education.

Speaking at the project's launch in the rural communities of Sentu and Asunlope within the Ilorin East local government area of Kwara state, Mrs. Zainab Yaqub, the executive director of MAFYEDI, outlined the objectives of the non-profit initiative. In collaboration with the Literacy Assured Initiative (LAI), the project aims to facilitate the return of out-of-school girl-children in rural areas to formal education, ensuring they receive the quality education they deserve.

“Through the GetHerBackToSchool project, we are providing support for selected beneficiary students by paying their school fees, giving them school bags, and providing educational materials such as notebooks, pens, and pencils. We are also engaging with parents and community leaders on the significance of education and the need for them to prioritise sending their children to school.”.

While emphasising the significance of education, Yaqub, who recently bagged a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Johannesburg, narrated how her parents sent her to school and supported her education from primary to doctoral level.

“It is imperative for parents to strive to send their wards, especially girl children, to school. Education is the key to unlocking the potential of our girls and empowering them to become better people in the future. Our organisation believes in the transformative power of education, and we shall continue to push for more marginalised children to get access to education,” she remarked.

Earlier in his address, the founder of LAI, Ahmed Adebowale, said the GetHerBackToSchool project was designed to ensure more marginalised girls get access to education and become better people in the future.

“We believe that every girl deserves the opportunity to receive a quality education and reach her full potential,” he said.

“The GetHerBackToSchool project is a laudable initiative that aims to bridge the educational gap and create a brighter future for marginalised girls in rural communities. By providing them access to education, we are empowering these girls to become change-makers in their communities and beyond.”