Africa Education Aid for Development Network (AFEADEN) is a non-governmental organization that is providing education for underpriviledged and displaced children in Africa. The organisation is spread across several African countries.
In this interview with YNaija’s #Impact365 series, Obi Judith, founder of Africa Education Aid for Development Network (AFEADEN), tells us how the NGO is providing education for African children by eliminating obstacles that prevent these children from attending schools.
1. What is the mission and objective of your NGO?
Our mission is to provide underprivileged and displaced children access to quality education.
We envision to use the power of quality education and skill development to create a world where children and youths are able to fulfill their greatest potential.
We use education as a tool create awareness, advocate and intervene on various societal challenges including girl child education, youth empowerment. and ending conflict violence in society and
- What led to the formation of Africa Education Aid for Development Network (AFEADEN)?
I was raised by disciplinarians and philanthropists. My mum was a teacher and my Dad a Pharmacist, I was taught to always think of how to give back in any way I can no matter how little. From age 16 I started regular medical outreaches in my community, years later I started reaching out to children who were out of school in my community go back to school.
With the rise in the number of children out of school and a desire to see more children go back to school, I decided to start a movement of young people across Africa who would help tackle the underlying challenges that prevent children from going and staying in school.
Today we have members and volunteers in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and other African countries working to change the face of education, one child at a time in their local communities.
- How long has your NGO been around? Have you made any impact or achieved any of your goals?
Africa Education Aid for Development Network (AFEADEN) started in 2014 and registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission Nigeria. We have organized and partnered with various organization to carry out series of events which aim to address issues that prevent children from going or staying in school. Over all we have reached out to over 15,000 teenagers directly and indirectly in Africa.
- Honestly, your initiative is doing great works. Can you tell us more about some of your outreach project?
Thank you. We have held various outreaches independently and in partnership with various organizations, most recent is The teenager’s games hang out where we hung out and interacted with teenagers using the fun avenue to educate, teach them and identify characters that needed modification. The Teenagers career day was an avenue for us to encourage the teenager to aspire to become relevant, we enlightened them on the various career choices and invited industry professional to teach and share their experiences with them. Our just concluded Menstrual Hygiene School tour was a huge success, we distributed sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene educational pamphlets to over 1200 teenage girls. We also host monthly mentoring and coaching session for children and youths.
Top on the agenda for the quarter is the back to school outreach. In view of tackling an underlying factor that prevents children from going or staying in school in Africa, which is lack of basic school necessities and learning aid, we have undertaken the BACK TO SCHOOL OUTREACH.
Our target is to send to 1000 children back to school. Currently we have received 30 school kits and scholarship for 4 children who have never been to school and we are still campaigning for funds to reach or exceed our target.
- Can you tell us more about the Adopt a Child Campaign?
The Adopt a child campaign is an approach we have chosen to tackle the issue of education. Like the saying goes, it takes a community to raise a child. Through the Adopt a Child Campaign, an individual or partner can volunteer to pay tuition, provide school kit for a child/children or sponsor a youth to acquire a skill (This Adoption does not entail taking the child away from their guardians or parents). Upon adoption, Sponsors are given periodic update and progress of the adopted child/youth and have opportunities to mentor and speak with the children or youth they choose to support.
Statistics by UNESCO show that 29.8 million children living in sub-Saharan Africa were out of school in 2011 and data analysis shows that aid to basic education has decreased for the first time since 2002, including in sub-Saharan Africa. We all must therefore rise to the need to ensure that more children go back to school in Africa by deciding today to adopt a child.
- What is your approach towards tackling educational challenges?
Our approach as an organization towards tackling educational challenges majorly involves combating the underlying issues and challenges which prevent children from going and staying in school. This informs the programmatic interventions we take on as an organization. Some of our approach include:
- Providing scholarships and academic materials
- Actively engaging with international aid and development agencies to implement comprehensive development programs that promote an integrated approach towards education and ensure long-term and sustainable impact.
- Mentoring and leadership development training
- Active parent engagement and child follow-up to ensure excellence at school
- Skill acquisition for children and youths
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