Our work
Education
The Next Generation Christian Foundation is currently sponsoring the education of 34 gifted young people at secondary school, university and polytechnic in Nigeria. These are all children who would not have been able to continue in education beyond the age of 12 without this financial support. NCGF aims to remove all financial barriers to getting an education, so our sponsorship covers all the expenses associated with attending school – school fees, uniform, books and equipment, and exam fees. We keep in close contact with the schools and have also provided items such as a computer, digital camera and scanner that can make life and work easier for the teachers and students.
We currently work with two secondary schools in different towns in Nigeria. One school is co-educational and we sponsor both boys and girls at the school. The first cohort of six students – four girls and two boys – entered the school in 2012 and graduated in 2018. Four of them are now in higher education: one is at university, studying microbiology, and three at polytechnic, studying science and laboratory technology, agricultural technology, and surveying and geoinformatics. Three more students graduated in 2019 and have also secured higher education places, as have students from more recent cohorts. Extended lockdowns during the Covid pandemic interrupted studies for all these students, but we hope to be able to congratulate our first university graduates within the next year. NGCF also supports 11 students who are still at the school, four of whom will be graduating in July 2024, whilst the two youngest began in JSS1 (equivalent to year 7 in UK schools) in September 2023.
The other school we support is a girls’ school, newly founded in 2012, in order to bridge the gap between the education of boys and girls in the area. The school principal writes that ‘for a long time girls’ education has been given less priority by parents and governments in less economically developed countries like Nigeria.’ However, ‘there is a gradual change in attitude … resulting in an increase in demand for girls’ education.’ This school was founded in the firm belief that ‘giving females sound education is the first step towards empowering and equipping them for self-reliance and combating poverty. Thus, establishing the school was taken as the community’s key project for the centenary celebrations of the town’s Catholic community.’ When it first opened the school was housed in a temporary building in the church compound. However, in 2020 it was able to move to its own permanent site and was accredited as an exam centre the following year. NGCF is proud to be part of this project and is currently sponsoring 11 girls at the school, whilst ten of our scholars have already graduated from the school, several of whom are now studying at university.
NGCF Scholars
Joseph
Joseph is 20 years old and he graduated from the co-educational school in 2018. When Joseph completed primary education, which is free in Nigeria, he and his three siblings experienced a devastating bereavement – the death of their father. Joseph faced a bleak future without secondary education. At the age of 11 he started work as an unskilled labourer to help support his family. It was two years later that he heard about NGCF and applied for a scholarship. He says: ‘This scholarship has been a blessing to my life and the entire family when I thought all hope was lost without a father.’
Joseph’s ambition was to study Law at university but he has so far been unable to secure a place. His alternative choices are to study mass communications at polytechnic or to get training in the fashion industry. NGCF acknowledges the fiercely competitive environment in Nigerian higher education (where candidates outnumber university places by around five to one) and remains committed to supporting Joseph in education, training or finding employment as best it can.
Peace
Peace is 14 years old and she is in SS1 (equivalent of year 10) in the co-educational school. Her day starts very early. She wakes up at 4 a.m., then walks 30 minutes each way to a communal water supply to collect water for her family. She sweeps the house and compound, washes the dishes from the night before, then gives her siblings a bath or wash. She has to complete these chores before she sets off for school. She has a journey of 40 minutes to school on foot. She mostly does not eat breakfast before going to school – and nor does she eat lunch while at school. She goes to school on an empty stomach and returns on an empty stomach. There is no school canteen and even if there were, these children do not have money to buy food. Peace arrives home at about 4.30, does her evening chores and helps to prepare dinner. She does her homework at 8.30 at night and her day finally ends at 10 p.m. when she goes to bed.
Despite all these challenges and responsibilities, Peace shows enthusiasm and determination. She loves being in secondary school, learning new subjects and gaining new experiences. She loves sport – particularly long jump (she is very tall)! She is very confident and sounds like a young girl who knows what she wants out of life: a good education and better opportunities. Peace would like to be a banker when she is older. With your continuing support, Peace may realise her dream.