FIC Report (Nasarawa State) – More than 20,000 out-of-school girls in Nasarawa State are currently benefiting from the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer scheme under the World Bank-assisted Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Programme.
The Nasarawa State Programme Coordinator for AGILE, Hajiya Aishatu Aliyu Isoga, revealed this during a training session for journalists held in Lafia.
According to Hajiya Aishatu, the beneficiaries, aged between 10 and 20 years, dropped out of school at various stages, including junior and senior secondary levels, due to the economic challenges faced by their families. Many of them had resorted to street hawking to support their households.
“The programme is providing termly school fees ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 Naira for these girls throughout the implementation period,” she stated.
The initiative is being implemented in seven local government areas—Awe, Doma, Lafia, Wamba, Kokona, Keana, and Nasarawa—which have the highest number of out-of-school girls in the state.
Hajiya Aishatu also highlighted the importance of the training session for journalists, stating, “This training is aimed at building the capacity of journalists to write impactful stories that promote the enrolment of more girls in schools.”
One of the resource persons, Ms. Grace Amirikpa, delivered a paper titled “Exploring the Impact of Media Representation on the Empowerment of Women and Girls.” She urged journalists to focus on positive narratives about women and girls.
“The media have a significant role in shaping perceptions. Highlighting the achievements and success stories of women can inspire change and empower more girls to aspire for greatness,” Ms. Amirikpa said.
The AGILE Programme is a key initiative targeting educational empowerment for adolescent girls in underserved communities across Nasarawa State.
Signed
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HEAD OF CENTRE,
FIC, LAFIA.
