By Abubakar Ahmed
Women across several communities in Bauchi State are increasingly turning to grassroots support systems to boost girls’ education and economic empowerment following the launch of the Mothers Forum initiative under the Strengthening Advocacy for Girls’ Education, SAGE Project. The programme, organized by the Young Leaders Network (YLN), held engagement sessions in April across Gamawa, Ganjuwa and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas, bringing together mothers, caregivers and community women to discuss barriers to schooling and introduce support mechanisms for family livelihoods.The outreach covered nine communities, including Kesa, Bulanna and Adabdada in Gamawa, as well as Yolan Bappate, Muntokshi and Gital in Tafawa Balewa. Facilitators drew inspiration from the story of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai to highlight the importance of educating girls. In Kesa, participants identified poverty and lack of spousal support as major obstacles, while in Bulanna, mothers pointed to teacher shortages and early marriage practices as additional challenges.
YLN also introduced participants to the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) model, a community-based financial system designed to strengthen women’s resilience and support children’s education. According to YLN Programme Manager, Inclusive Education, Charity Solomon, women joining the groups were required to have a small business or source of livelihood, with membership capped at 25 per group.
Registration exercises were conducted across the participating communities.In Tafawa Balewa, women formed savings groups with locally chosen names such as “Malala,” “Manyar” and “Alheri.” Members agreed on weekly contributions and set by-laws to guide operations. Starter materials including savings boxes, padlocks, calculators and record books were provided to help the groups manage their finances.The initiative also created space for discussions on child protection, gender equality, inclusive education and women’s participation in community decision-making.
Participants across the communities called for the continuation of the programme, stressing that the combination of education advocacy and economic empowerment could significantly improve opportunities for girls and vulnerable families in Bauchi State.