Brain Builders Int’l Fosters SDGs Realization; Partners YouthHub Africa In Advocacy Programme

In its bid to ensure accelerated realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria, a non-governmental organization, Brain Builders International recently held a SDGs sensitization programme for female school students in Kaiama, Kwara State.

The programme, organized in collaboration with another leading NGO in the country, YouthHub Africa, was targeted at educating the students on five goals of the SDGs which include goals 1; Poverty Eradication, 4; Quality Education, 5; Gender Equality, 6; Reduced Inequalities and 17; Partnership for the Goals.

In his opening address, the National Coordinator of Brain Builders International, Mr. Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, noted that education had been acclaimed a veritable tool for national development.

He, however, said that, “Despite this striking fact’, he said “the Nigerian experience is diametrically opposed as the country has approximately 10.1 million children who, according to a 2008 UNICEF report,  are out-of-school in the basic education system”.

“Pathetically in Nigeria, girl child education has not been a priority. Another report by UNICEF states that no fewer than 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, and about 60% of these out of school children are girls”, he bemoaned.

Olasupo stressed that all hands must on be deck to ensure that more Nigerian children have access to quality education, adding that his organization will continue to advocate for quality education for development.

During a Career Talk session, Olasupo sensitized the students on career choices. He educated the greenhorns on their choices of career and the windows of opportunity that are widely opened to any choice of career they make in the nearest future, urging them to be up and doing so as to be great in life.

In her remark, Dr. (Mrs.) Adeboye Tejuoso, the CEO for The Girl Child Foundation, spoke to the students on the importance of education as the stepping stone to success. “Education is your passport to the world of greatness and will take you anywhere in the world, if you are focused and determined”, she urged.

The Malala Video Documentary, from which the caption of the event was inferred, was displayed for the viewing of the students. The video Documentarylasted for 77 minutes, after which a brief speech was given about the Nobel Prize winner, Yosoufazi Malala, by Miss OlagokeBasheerah, a BBI Girl Child Advocate.

Miss Olagoke discussed the heroic deeds of Malala, who fought the Taliban to ensure ladies attend school in her country, Pakistan. She then engaged the audience particularly, the female students on the lessons deducible from the film and how they will pass it the knowledge to their colleagues at their various schools. The advocate also answered various questions which bothered the students.

An essay competition which featured 178 entries on the “Benefit of Girl Child education” was also part of this influential programme to test the students writing skill.

Expressing his satisfaction with the programme, the Emir of Kaiama, who was ably represented lauded Brain Builders Organization for the insightful programme. He, then, urged and encouraged female students to go to schools in order to achieve success.

The team visited the Emir, who expressed his displeasure at the discouraging rate at which female students in the community drop out of school for marriage. He, however, encouraged the organization to prepare a programme that will orient the mothers and pledged to fully support the cause of the organization the next they come.