By Rosemary Etim Bassey
Nobel laureate, Malala Yousafzai, recently visited Nigeria to advance the priorities of the Malala Fund on girls’ education.
The Fund’s Communication Manager in Nigeria, Nankwat Dakum, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
Dakum said Malala was in the country with her father and co-founder, Ziauddin Yousafzai, the Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, Lena Alfi, and board members.
She explained that their focus would be on ensuring that married and pregnant girls are allowed to return to school, improving education financing to meet the needs of girls, and promoting education as a tool to end child marriage.
Malala is also expected to meet with girls and education advocates supported by the Fund, to hear their experiences and the changes they want in their communities.
In addition, she will hold engagements with government officials and civil society leaders to accelerate progress on girls’ education in the country.
Dakum noted that Nigeria is a priority country in the Malala Fund’s global strategy for 2025 to 2030.
She added that since 2014, the Fund has invested over $8 million in Nigerian partner organisations working to break barriers keeping girls out of school.
“Malala’s return to Nigeria comes at a pivotal moment as government, civil society, and international partners look to strengthen commitments so every girl in Nigeria can access and complete 12 years of education,” she said.
