The Bethesda Child Support Foundation has concluded its year-long “She Reads” initiative, a literacy programme designed to empower girls within the ages of 15-20 in the Ojumole community within the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The programme, which focused on equipping young women with fundamental reading and writing skills, has transformed the lives of its beneficiaries. Many of the girls were unable to engage with basic written materials before the initiative, but now possess the foundational skills to participate fully in their education and contribute to their community.

At the closing event attended by community leaders, members, and the young beneficiaries, testimonials and presentations highlighted progress made by the participants, showcasing their ability write words and articulate their thoughts.

A Community leader, Oloja Saanumi Olorunyomi expressed profound appreciation for the Bethesda Child Support Foundation’s intervention, acknowledging the transformative impact of the “She Reads” project. They also made a compelling appeal for the programme’s expansion to include young boys, recognising the importance of literacy for all.

The CEO, Bethesda Child Support Foundation, Ogechi Ofurum noted “the programme has been a huge success particularly as many of the girls couldn’t read and write and this programme has helped them improve their level of literacy while building their confidence level reiterating Bethesda’s mandate”.

While the foundation’s programmes manager, Esther Alaribe in her speech noted that Nigeria needs more intentionality in the allocation of funding for education and reaching underserved communities as we strive to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

The Bethesda Child Support Foundation aims to scale the ‘She Reads’ initiative to enroll, empower, and transform the lives of 5,000 out-of-school young women over the next five years. The foundation recognises literacy as the bedrock of lifelong learning and socio-economic mobility.

The success of ‘She Reads’ in Ojumole demonstrates the potential for impactful change in addressing Nigeria’s significant out-of-school population, particularly girls. The initiative serves as a model for targeted grassroots interventions on education that can lay the groundwork for enhanced women individual agency and long-term community development as it fosters national development and growth.