The Fifty Fifty Initiative for Development (FFID) has intensified its efforts to promote girl-child education across its project communities through sustained advocacy and community sensitization campaigns. Recognizing education as a key driver of empowerment and equality, the initiative seeks to address the social and cultural barriers that prevent many girls from accessing and completing their education.
Through these campaigns, FFID engaged parents, traditional leaders, and opinion influencers to emphasize the importance of enrolling and retaining girls in school. Interactive community meetings and dialogue sessions provided a platform for discussing the benefits of educating girls, including improved family well-being, community development, and economic progress. Traditional authorities also pledged their support to discourage early marriages and promote continuous education for girls.
In attendance at one of the major sensitization activities were the Municipal Director of Education, the Gender Desk Officer, and an FFID Board Member, who is a retired educationist. They all delivered inspiring messages on the importance of girl-child education. The Municipal Director of Education commended FFID for its continuous collaboration with the Education Directorate to address barriers affecting girls’ learning and retention in school. The Gender Desk Officer highlighted the need for stakeholders to collectively challenge gender stereotypes that hinder girls’ educational progress, while the retired educationist urged parents to see the education of girls as an investment in the future of their families and communities.
These interventions have already yielded positive results, with notable reductions in early school dropout rates and increased community commitment to girls’ education. Parents have become more supportive of their daughters’ schooling, and schools have reported improved attendance and participation among girls.
Speaking on the impact of the initiative, Abdul-Rashad Mohammed, Programs Coordinator of FFID, reiterated that investing in girls’ education is a sustainable pathway to breaking the cycle of poverty and promoting inclusive development. He reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with local stakeholders, government agencies, and development partners to create an enabling environment where every girl can learn, thrive, and achieve her full potential.
Through its ongoing advocacy and sensitization efforts, FFID continues to champion the right of every girl to quality education — a critical foundation for building resilient and empowered communities in the North East Region and beyond.
