The aim of the project was to enable 95 orphaned children, victims of AIDS and other diseases, to complete five years of secondary education, and 300 young heads of household to benefit from vocational training. Schoolchildren were to receive educational support, while households were to receive food, psychosocial and health assistance. The project was to take place in twelve communities located in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
At the end of the five-year project, 105 orphans successfully completed their five years of secondary schooling with excellent results. More than three months after the end of the project, 83 of these students were in employment, continuing their higher education or looking for work. The favorable exchange rate enabled 390 orphans (300 expected) to obtain their vocational training diploma in fields such as tailoring, fashion design, IT, laundry, mechanics or welding. In some cases, former students have continued their education thanks to the income generated by their employment. Throughout the program, the households of the 495 beneficiaries received food aid, which encouraged the young people to attend the courses.
Founded in 2002, the Gede Foundation, an American association, is developing programs, particularly in Nigeria, focusing on people living with stigmatized or neglected diseases (mainly AIDS).
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Gede Foundation
Population
191 million (2017)
Per Capita Income
USD 2,100/year (2017)
Poverty rate *
46%(2010)
Literacy rate
51% (2016)
Human Development Index
157th out of 189 countries (2018)
Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with a population of 191 million, accounting for close to half of the West African population. Despite the country's strong economic track record, its human development indicators are poor. Persistent poverty affects more than half the population; 103 million Nigerians live below the poverty line. Youth literacy rates improved from 64% to 67% between 2000 and 2016, though the rate appears to have reached a plateau. Primary school enrolment rates are estimated at 94% and secondary school rates at 56%. Since 2014, insurgent activities have deepened insecurity, hampered development and heightened the food and nutritional insecurity of vulnerable women and children.
Sources: World Food Program, UNICEF, World Bank, 2016 Human Development Report, Human Development Indices and Indicators (2018 Statistical Update)
*The percentage of the population living below the national poverty line.