By Amaka Abayomi

UNESCO and Always, a brand of Procter & Gamble, have launched a new literacy project for girls and young women in Nigeria, starting from March 10, 2014.
Tagged: Empowerment of girls and women through the use of ICTs in Literacy and skills Development, it aims to provide 60,000 Nigerian illiterate or very poorly educated girls and young women in Rivers State and Abuja with basic literacy and life skills over the next three years.

More than 850 facilitators will be trained to provide literacy classes in a traditional classroom environment which would be broadcasted to the public via TV and radio lessons.
This programme not only marks the successful continuation of the UNESCO and Always partnership of providing literacy classes for girls in Africa but also strategically complements government’s efforts to revitalize literacy in the country through a self-benefitting Funds-in-Trust project with UNESCO Revitalizing Adult and Youth Literacy in Nigeria.

Opportunity to succeed
According to the Director, UNESCO Regional Office, Abuja, Professor Hassana Alidou, “the partnership between UNESCO and Always on this project will go a long way in ensuring that girls are given every opportunity to succeed in life.

“Education is the investment for any nation especially to encourage girls to go to school as staying in school is a fundamental factor for success.”

In agreement is the Managing Director, P&G Nigeria, Mr. George Nassar, who says “being part of supporting education of Nigerian girls and young women makes us very proud.  Always brand purpose is to advocate for and empower women to live life to its full potential. We are committed to support Nigerian girls and women to thrive.”

Recall that in 2011, UNESCO and Procter & Gamble’s Always, the leader in feminine care protection, teamed up to provide literacy classes for girls and young women in Africa, starting in Senegal. The programme provided 40,000 Senegalese girls with literacy and numeracy classes through traditional and technology-based teaching.