By Adeola Badru

Onelife Initiative for Human Development has launched a community-based learning programme aimed at tackling educational inequality and improving access to basic education for vulnerable children, particularly those forced by economic hardship to combine schooling with street trading and other income-generating activities.

The initiative, known as the Standing School project, is designed to take basic literacy and numeracy education beyond conventional classrooms by reaching children in community spaces where they ordinarily spend their time.

The project was unveiled yesterday during the official opening of the organisation’s new permanent office in Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State. The event was attended by representatives of government agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

The programme will leverage digital educational resources and partnerships with operators of viewing centres, television repair shops and other community facilities to provide informal learning opportunities for disadvantaged children who might otherwise be left behind.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Onelife Initiative, Sola Fagorusi, said the intervention was conceived to ensure that the economic circumstances of children and their families did not permanently undermine their educational development.

He explained that some children, despite attending school, returned home to engage in street trading and other activities because their parents depended on their contributions to household survival.

According to him, the Standing School project would provide an additional learning platform for such children, particularly those who spend considerable time in community spaces, by making educational materials available and using digital resources to improve their reading, spoken English and basic arithmetic skills.

Fagorusi said the programme would initially be implemented in Oyo, Ekiti and Akwa Ibom states, adding that the organisation was seeking public support to sustain it.

He said a contribution of ₦30,000 would support the learning journey of one child, describing the appeal as the first time the organisation would be directly soliciting donations from members of the public, having previously relied largely on funding proposals and institutional support.

The Executive Director said the initiative reflected the organisation’s commitment to developing practical interventions that address the realities confronting young people and vulnerable communities.

He described the opening of the new office as another milestone in the organisation’s 10-year journey of working with young people and adolescents.

According to him, securing a permanent operational base would strengthen the organisation’s sustainability and reduce the recurring cost of office rent, which constitutes a major expenditure for many non-governmental organisations.

The facility comprises a reception, offices for staff and interns, a digital media production studio and a conference room, providing space for programme implementation, innovation, collaboration and institutional development.

Fagorusi added that the media production facility would enable the organisation to develop videos and other digital educational and advocacy materials, extending its reach beyond communities where it has physical operations.

He also disclosed that the organisation was implementing a new strategic plan covering 2026 to 2030, which would guide its programmes and institutional priorities over the next five years.

He described Onelife Initiative’s motto as “Young People, Excellence and Linkages”, explaining that its mission was to connect young people with the information, services and resources needed to realise their potential and contribute to building a resilient society.

He identified the organisation’s four principal areas of intervention as inclusive education; sexual and reproductive health and rights; agribusiness and enterprise development; and governance and civic engagement.

Beyond its educational interventions, Fagorusi said Onelife Initiative was also investing in agriculture, including the operation of a three-acre bell pepper farm in Omi-Adio, Oyo State.

He said the organisation currently maintained offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Ikole-Ekiti, while its programmes and interventions had reached about 22 states across the country.

He also announced that the new facility would be accessible to other non-governmental organisations for meetings and collaborative engagements at affordable rates, stressing the importance of partnerships among development organisations.

In their goodwill messages, representatives of government agencies and civil society organisations commended Onelife Initiative for its contributions to human capital development, youth empowerment and community advancement.

They described the acquisition of a permanent operational facility as a worthwhile investment in the development sector.

Bello Adedokun of the Creative Actors Initiative for Development (CAID) described the facility as a significant achievement, particularly because of its potential benefits to young people and schoolgirls.

He observed that many non-governmental organisations operating in Ibadan lacked comparable facilities, adding that Onelife Initiative’s investment demonstrated its commitment to strengthening the capacity of the civil society sector.

Comrade Ola Peters Kayode, who represented the Oyo State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), said the organisation’s activities aligned with the objectives of youth development and human capital advancement.

A representative of the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) described the facility as a masterpiece and urged governments at all levels to give greater attention to identifying, developing and harnessing the talents and potential of young people.

The representative also expressed the corps’ readiness to establish a working partnership with Onelife Initiative.

Similarly, a representative of the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning described the opening as a significant milestone for the organisation and the state.

The representative stressed that sustainable development required effective collaboration among government institutions, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups.

The ministry’s representative called for greater attention to social protection, poverty reduction and social inclusion, particularly for young people, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

Muyiwa Oladoja, representing the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, commended Onelife Initiative for its decade-long contributions to youth advancement, saying the responsibility of developing young people should not be left to government alone.

He urged other non-governmental organisations to emulate its commitment to youth-focused interventions and community development.

The Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) also welcomed the organisation’s growing involvement in agriculture, emphasising the need to attract more young people to farming to strengthen food security and expand economic opportunities.

The agency encouraged the adoption of mechanised agricultural practices and backyard farming, noting their importance in improving food production and promoting wider participation in the sector.

Figures presented by Onelife Initiative at the event highlighted the scale of its interventions in education, sexual and reproductive health, agriculture, governance and civic engagement, with thousands of young people, women, farmers and other beneficiaries reached over the years.

The organisation said 6,487 in-school adolescents had received age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education, while another 12,640 adolescents and young people had been reached through community-level programmes.

It further reported that 67,714 girls and women had been directly linked to sexual and reproductive health services, while 128 healthcare providers had received training across Oyo, Ekiti and Akwa Ibom states.

In agriculture, the organisation said it had established 27.5 acres of learning and pilot plots and mobilised 3,955 smallholder farmers for cassava production in Ekiti State. The farmers comprised 1,534 women and 1,105 young people.

It added that 1,919 horticultural farmers had received training in good agronomic practices and agricultural innovations, while 918 farmers had been equipped with the knowledge and skills to tackle aflatoxin contamination in maize fields.

On its institutional and advocacy achievements, Onelife Initiative reported that it had completed 37 projects, produced 36 radio drama episodes in Yoruba and English, and reached an estimated 8.6 million people through radio and television broadcasts.

The organisation also said 289 staff members, volunteers, interns and externs had been engaged in its activities over the years.

In governance and accountability, it said it had developed 11 election briefs and submitted 15 Freedom of Information requests to government ministries, departments and agencies to promote transparency and accountability in public administration.

It further disclosed that it had instituted five reproductive justice cases before the ECOWAS Court and various High Courts, underscoring its commitment to advancing access to justice and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups.

The organisation said the achievements reflected its sustained efforts to build an inclusive society through education, improved access to essential services, agricultural development, civic participation and strategic partnerships.