From Femi Mustspha, in Kaduna
A learner named Saratu Ibrahim from Kubau Local Government Area has emerged as the overall winner of the reading and spelling competition organized by Hope for Communities and Children (H4CC) to mark the 2025 International Literacy Day.
Saratu triumphed over contestants from Sabo Gari and Igabi Local Government Areas, who took second and third place, respectively.
She expressed immense joy, stating that despite leaving education at an early age due to marriage, the opportunity provided by the Second Chance Education program has proven that it is never too late to pursue education.
She credited her success to her mentor, Maryam Yusuf, AGILE, and H4CC, and announced her plans to return to conventional schooling to continue her education.
Earlier, Hadiza Umar, the Team Leader and Co-Founder of Hope for Communities and Children (H4CC), mentioned that the reading and spelling competition is part of the activities commemorating the 2025 International Literacy Day, with the theme “Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era.”
According to her, H4CC has been the implementing partner for the Second Chance Program on behalf of AGILE, the Kaduna State Government, and the Ministry of Education since 2024.
The programme aims to identify 10,000 girls and young women aged 15-25 who are unable to complete their secondary education, including those with special needs, married women, pregnant individuals, and mothers.
These young women will be provided with second-chance opportunities in Kaduna State.
“We are implementing the program across ten LGAs in the first year, namely – Kubau, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi, Jema’a, Kudan, Soba, Zaria, Chikun, and Sabon-Gari,” she stated.
Hajia Hadiza Umar congratulated the participants and commended their efforts in the competition.
She encouraged them to maintain their competitive spirit and assured them of continued support from her organization.
She also praised the mentors for their dedication, which aligns with Kaduna State’s objective to ensure that girls and children with disabilities receive equal access to education.
In her remarks, Mrs. Agatha Angani from the Reaching Out to School Children (ROOSC) project, the donor of the trophy, noted that the Second Chance program aligns with the goals of the ROOSC project, which aims to bring children back to school.
She added that the ROOSC project is designed to make quality education accessible to all children through formal and non-formal education systems, regardless of their background.
Furthermore, she emphasized that Kaduna’s ROOSC project is part of a broader effort to promote inclusive and equitable education, stating that, with the combined efforts of the government, development partners, and community leaders, the state is taking significant steps to ensure that no child is left behind.
