The unprecedented level of insurgency in North-East Nigeria particularly in the B.A.Y States (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) have adversely affected the gains in education achieved prior to the insurgency. As a result of the crisis, large numbers of the population in these affected states have been displaced leading to thousands of children being out of school, this has been compounded by the setbacks caused by the Covid 19 global health crisis.
In response to the education deprivation experienced in these regions, since 2015, our Education in Emergency project has been one of our core areas of intervention in North-East of Nigeria especially in two of the B.A.Y states which are Borno and Adamawa states respectively, supporting education for displaced, returnee, and host community children. With the Support of our Partners and a network of volunteers, we offer the following:
- Support in formal and non-formal education settings for out-of-school children, including catch-up classes for ages 6-14.
- Distribute education kits and hygiene kits for students.
- Provide capacity building for teachers, school management and community stakeholders on child safety measures, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Construction of Charity Primary schools, temporary learning centers in IDP camps and host communities, as well as rehabilitating damaged classrooms in existing community schools.
Provision of Formal Education
In 2019, As part of our Education in Emergency initiative, the InnerCity Mission built and commissioned its first full-fledged tuition-free school in North-East Nigeria.
The outcome of this education intervention in the North-East is to reduce the statistics of Out-of-School Children and improve access to quality, inclusive, and continued education of children of all vulnerable categories through formal and non-formal approaches in a safe, protective, and healthy learning environment; with support from partners, donors, and individuals who are passionate about an inclusive society. This support includes 6-year tuition, school supplies (school bag, shoes, socks, uniforms, school meals, and stationery) among others.
Provision of Non formal Education setting
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We worked to reduce the impact occasioned by COVID-19 and bridged the gap by scaling-up its in-person educational engagement for these targeted beneficiaries who do not have ANY access to online learning, who live in areas with low or no internet connectivity and lack of virtual learning materials. Over a period of time, up until the lockdown measures imposed by the state government eased, Mobile Temporary centers were set up in communities across Adamawa and Borno , as our volunteers engaged the children with a variety of fun and educative services such as learning activities in basic literacy and numeracy packaged in specially designed lesson plans and worksheets, we complimented the education intervention with health and psychosocial support.
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We constructed Temporary Learning Centers: We have built 2 learning centers which are Safe learning spaces, equipping the centers with school furniture and supplies to aid learning.
Distribution of education kits for students
Through the distribution of learning resources which includes note books, stationery, school uniforms, shoes, school bags , we keep both boys and girls in school and learning . The InnerCity Mission has successfully provided school kits for over 5000 children in IDP Camps and host communities.
TEACH HER- A Girl Child Education initiative of the InnerCity Mission
The disparity in access to education for boys and girls is wide, However, due to a combination of factors in North-East Nigeria, like insecurity and poverty, many girls are forced to leave school while others never had the opportunity to go to school, in the first place. The InnerCity Mission is committed to providing quality education for girls in North-East Nigeria and tackling the barriers that prevent them from getting an education.
The InnerCity Mission helps provide food security while taking deliberate actions to help victims of crises, particularly the most vulnerable i.e. women and girls, move from dependence on humanitarian relief towards development. Our Economic Strengthening and livelihood program is vital in achieving economic reintegration and independence, as it directly provides reliable livelihood opportunities such skills acquisition training and grants for small scale business startups.
Our team provides the following:
- Periodic food distributions to households
- train individuals in setting up sustainable income-generating activities
- provide cash grants for small and micro businesses
- provide training on business selection, planning, and management and improved farming techniques to help farmers adapt to climate change
Food Security
Most IDPs count on humanitarian assistance as their only lifeline, as the answer to their urgent need, the InnerCity Mission together with partners and volunteers organize Food distributions to these vulnerable households in IDP Camps and Host Communities as an immediate solution to the hunger challenges they face.
Skills acquisition Training and Economic Empowerment
Through this initiative, we have organized skills acquisition training for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in IDP Camps and targeted host communities in various livelihood Opportunities such as Tailoring, beauty care, soap making, catering and interior decoration. Some have been empowered with tools to start up small businesses for sustenance with the skills acquired.