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
2023 Contest Overview
Problem Statement: In Nigeria, girls and women have less access to digital devices and the internet compared to boys and men. This makes it harder for them to participate in the digital world and get a good education.
The following problems outline the extent of the digital divide in Nigeria and how it's affecting girl child education:
A. Digital Access Challenges in Nigeria:
📱 Unequal Device Access: In Nigeria, access to digital tools like smartphones, laptops, and tablets is highly uneven, particularly affecting girls in rural and marginalized areas.
🌐 Limited Internet Access: Reliable and affordable internet access is a pressing issue, particularly in remote Nigerian regions, leaving many girls disconnected from online educational resources.
💲 High Data Costs: Even when internet access is available, prohibitive data expenses hinder many families from affording continuous online education for their girls.
B. Gendered Digital Gap:
👧👦 Sociocultural Barriers: Traditional gender roles and societal expectations in Nigeria often discourage girls from pursuing digital literacy and STEM education, contributing to a gender-based digital divide.
🚫 Online Safety Concerns: Girls in Nigeria encounter a hostile online environment, exposing them to higher risks of online harassment and cyberbullying.
🚺🚹 Lack of Female Role Models: The scarcity of women in tech-related fields and leadership roles reinforces gender stereotypes, dissuading girls from pursuing digital careers.
Essay Question: Imagine you're Nigeria's Minister of Women's Affairs and Social Development. Explain why it's really important for Nigeria to fix the digital gap between boys and girls. Also, describe what the government can do to make things more equal in terms of technology for girls. Think about how this can help girls' education in Nigeria.
Eligibility:
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Nigerian girls between the ages of 13-19
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The essay must be written English and have up to 2,000 words
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Essays should be properly cited. Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification
Selection: The Essay will be reviewed by a panel of independent judges. The panel will be evaluating all submissions according to three criteria:
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the quality of your arguments
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grammar and vocabulary, and
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the overall flow of your essay
Number of Awardees: 3
Value of Competition: The essay competition offers recognition and financial awards.
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The best three essays will be published on the Give Girls A Chance website
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The author of the best essay will receive 50,000 Naira. The second and third place winners will be awarded 35,000 Naira and 20,000 Naira, respectively.
How to Apply: Please submit your essay to info@givegirlsachanceng.org on or before November 17, 2023. The finalists will be notified by December 15, 2023, and the awards will be presented virtually or in person (in Abuja).
About the Competition
The Give Girls A Chance Essay Competition is implemented as part of the Give Girls A Chance Foundations effort aimed at increasing access to quality education for the Nigerian girl child. The goal of this Competition is to give young Nigerian girls the opportunity to develop constructive and innovative ideas to address existing development challenges in Nigeria. The seventh edition, this competition aims to support the voice and agency of young Nigerian girls, whilst leveraging the ideas and innovations led by young people in tackling some of the challenges facing Nigeria.
Meet Past Winners
2022 First Place
Akinde Morayo (15 years old)
The Pillars Model College, Ifo, Ogun State
“Gender plays a big role to digital generation in Nigeria. Girls and women have less access to technology and the internet compared to boys and men. The gender digital divide in access to the internet remains largest in the world’s least developed countries at 32.9%, yes I’ve done my research on that....Nigerians have a stereotype of grooming girls just to be wives, how they’re expected to act, speak, dress and conduct themselves based upon their gender.”
