In Nigeria, less than half of all school-age girls are enrolled in, and graduate, from school. At Give Girls A Chance (GGAC), we believe that educating girls is the single most powerful investment to shape a better future for Nigeria. We started in 2016 with the goal of increasing young girls’ access to quality education in Nigeria. Our team of dedicated mentors and volunteers work directly with girls in four secondary school in the Abuja area, providing scholarships, mentorships, and guidance. We aim to do this by addressing issues related to lack of access, low levels of awareness of the importance of education, and poor infrastructure of educational institutions.
In Nigeria, less than half of all school-age girls are enrolled in, and graduate, from school. At Give Girls A Chance (GGAC), we believe that educating girls is the single most powerful investment to shape a better future for Nigeria. We started in 2016 with the goal of increasing young girls’ access to quality education in Nigeria. Our team of dedicated mentors and volunteers work directly with girls in four secondary school in the Abuja area, providing scholarships, mentorships, and guidance.
EDUCATE
We partner with schools, sponsors, and local organizations to equip the girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed
MENTOR
We link the girls in our programs to qualified and capable mentors to improve their physical, mental, and social well-being
EMPOWER
We offer programs and scholarships to improve comprehension and literacy levels and emphasize the benefits of getting a quality education
Our approach is to provide comprehensive support to girls between the ages of 10 and 19 years from low-income families as well as to systematically develop the schools in the communities in which we work.
GGAC Essay Competition
"Our Time Is Now —
Our Rights, Our Future"
The Give Girls A Chance Essay Competition is once again open for entries! Now in its sixth year, the
competition is open to young girls across Nigeria.
In 2022, we join the global commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl (IDG). In the past decade, there has been increased attention on issues pertaining to the girl child, and more opportunities for girls to have their voices heard on the global stage. Yet, investments in girls’ rights remain limited and girls continue to face many challenges in fulfilling their potential. Girls around the world continue to face unprecedented challenges to their education, their physical and mental wellness. COVID-19 has exacerbated existing burdens on girls around the world and eroded important gains made over the last decade.
In line with the theme of this year’s IDG celebration,“Our time is now—our rights, our future," girls are invited to submit essays (maximum 2,000 words) responding to the following prompt:
“With close to 20 million children out-of-school, the crisis in the education sector in Nigeria is worsening, foreshadowing a bleak future for Nigerian children, particularly girls. In your own words, make a case for why Nigerians—including the government and policymakers, private sector and civil society—must take action now to increase investments in education and secure the rights of all Nigerian children to a quality education.”
Eligibility
The competition is open to Nigerian girls between the ages of 13 and 19. To be eligible, all essays must be written in English and be a maximum of 2,000 words. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of independent judges and evaluated against three criteria: the quality of arguments, grammar and vocabulary, and overall flow.
Awards
The top three essays will win recognition and financial awards. Winning essays will be published on the Give Girls A Chance website and authors will win:
● First prize: N50,000
● Second prize: N35,000
● Third prize: N20,000
How to Enter
Email your essay to info@givegirlsachanceng.org. Deadline to submit has been extended to November 30, 2022.
About the Award
The Give Girls A Chance Essay Competition was launched in 2017 as part of the Give Girls A Chance Foundation's efforts to increase access to quality education for the Nigerian girl child. The competition aims to give young Nigerian girls the opportunity to foster constructive and innovative ideas to address Nigeria's development challenges. Learn more about the 2022 competition.
2021 Essay Competition:
Meet the Winners
First Place
Chidinma Faith Onyenweaku, a 19-year-old girl from Abia State University Uturu, Abia State. In her Essay, she explained the causes of the gender disparity in the digital generation and how to address them. According to Chidinma:
“In many developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, the issue of gender divides in different aspects of the society such as politics, education, national economy, etc., is very evident. It is therefore no surprise that it is also seen in the digital generation and online platforms and spaces. The disparity between genders in the society, the inequality in the labour market, inequality of opportunities, pay, progression and benefits has also crept into the digital generation.”
Follow Us
Follow us on social media @ggac_ng (Instagram and Twitter) and @Give Girls A Chance (Facebook and LinkedIn)