Kaduna partners groups to empower 4,750 girls

Kaduna State Government is partnering two Non Governmental Organizations to launch the second phase of Educating Nigerian Girls In New Enterprise, (ENGINE II) programme, aimed at improving the lives of less privileged girl-child.

The state government in partnership with Mercy Corps and Kindling Hope Across Nations, (KHAN) Initiative is to empower 4,750 marginalized In-School and Out of School Girls in the state through the ENGINE II programme funded by the UK Department For International Development Fund (DFID).

The Executive Director of KHAN Initiative, Mr Kizito Andah said the programme will enable all girls whose schooling had been interrupted to have the opportunity to build their functional literacy and numeracy skills, while building assets and diversify their income base.

The Executive Director explained that the platform will provide the in-school-girls an opportunity to transit to the next phase of education, or complete their current education cycle, while the out-of -school-girls will have the opportunity to access second chance education, in which they return to formal schools to complete their studies.

Andah who spoke shortly after the programme was launched in Kaduna said in its first phase, (ENGINE I) over 24,000 marginalized girls between the ages of 16 to 19 were supported to improve their learning outcomes and economic status.

In her opening remarks, National Programme Manager of ENGINE II, Shweta Shah said the second project is intended to improve social, literary, and entrepreneurial skills of the girl-child, adding, “the girls were selected on the basis of marginalization criteria.

“Some of them are extremely poor and can’t afford to go to school, some due to poverty pulled out of school and are sent to hawk on the street. We are working with government on policies implementation to remove the barriers which girls are facing in school and out of school, to address issues like poverty, access to quality education and facilities in school.”

While speaking, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Jaafaru Sani said the ENGINE II programme would enable remarkable improvement in the number of girl- child enrolment in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.