GRACE AHUDIYA CHATS WITH PROJECT INSPIRE

While it is correct to say that education is a right,in Nigeria that right for some children either don’t exist,is poorly available or unaffordable. However, Grace Ahudiya is making sure that this doesn’t become the reality of the children around her community. Through Isrina Schools,she is providing quality education to children from low-income families. In this conversation with Project Inspire, Grace tells us how the journey started.

PROJECT_INSPIRE: Can we meet you?

  Grace :My name is Amuzie Grace Ahudiya. I’m 20 years old and a final year Economics student of Crawford University. I am also an educator, and aspiring chef (Grace’s Kitchen).

PROJECT_INSPIRE: Tell us briefly your childhood experience.

  Grace: I was born and still live in Ajegunle. Life as a child was a bit rocky but I have my family and kind sponsor to thank. Most of my childhood days were spent indoors with my family.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What’s your educational background?

  Grace :I am thankful to a benevolent woman that sponsored my secondary school education to the university. I attended Cardoso Catholic Secondary School, Ajegunle. I am a graduate of Economics from  Crawford University.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What are your contributions towards making Nigeria a better place?

  Grace :Access to quality education is a luxury for most of the children in my community. I was 15 years old when I started teaching children in my community. I observed that children are always idle during summer breaks. I took the bold step to teach these children rather than allow them stay idle all day. The summer classes continued for a while. I received remarkable comments from the parents about the changes in their children. This birthed Isrina schools with a mission to provide basic quality education. I worked alongside my sister to ensure that every child is given the opportunity to access basic quality education.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What have your achievements been?

  Grace :The school has a capacity of over 100 children from Daycare to Basic 5. We had our first set of 6 graduating students in 2019. Our work at Isrina Schools has attracted media organizations like the Punch Newspapers. We have established partnerships with some organizations to promote equitable and quality education. I’m positive that we will reach out to more children in the years to come.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What motivated you to do what you are doing?

  Grace :I started teaching to support the dreams of every child to learn. I was opportune to receive quality education and it sparked in me the desire to reciprocate such act. There are certain challenges that limit a child to access basic quality education in the slums of Lagos. There’s no need to hold back but to be a blessing to other children.

PROJECT_INSPIRE:Tell us more about Isrina Schools

  Grace:Isrina Schools is a low-cost school located in Ajegunle, Lagos state. It was established in 2016 to provide basic quality education to underprivileged children in Ajegunle. The school provides the necessary educational support to children whose parents are financially challenged. This support may include; writing materials, uniforms, tuition fees. We adopted the RecyclesPay Project of African Cleanup Initiative to enable parents pay for their children school fees using recyclables – over children have benefited from this project since 2019.

   PROJECT_INSPIRE:What has been your major challenge since you began Isrina Schools?

  Grace :The school has been fortunate to receive support from organizations such as Green Olive Foundation, Neo Foundation, Feed the Streets, and others. The school is on a rented facility which limits the impact in our community. Adequate resources for staff payment and provision of school supplies have been a challenge since inception. We appreciate individuals and organizations that have continued to support us.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:Many young people have great ideas, but lack of funds is always a stumbling block. What’s your advice in this regard?

  Grace :It is not easy but then it is best to just start. Talk to friends or family members about your great idea; you’d find someone interested to help you scale.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:How have you been able to raise money to implement your ideas?

  Grace :We have been able to sustain the school through donations from kind individuals and organizations. The tuition is a fixed fee of N5000 and parents pay in cash or through recyclables. We rely more on donations due to the financial constraints of the parents. “b2schproject” is an initiative founded by my sister to support the school through provision of school supplies and payment of school fees. From 2018 till date, private individuals and several organizations have supported the school through writing materials, payment of schools fees, chairs and tables etc. These individuals and organizations have been actively involved in the daily operations of the school.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:Could you please share with us one or two experience(s) you have had in the course of your campaign that has/have impacted on you?

  Grace :So far so good, it has been working/teaching with the kids- my experiences with them are worthwhile and will forever be cherished. Dealing with kids taught me humility, perseverance and service orientation.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What are your prospects in the next 5 or 10 years?

  Grace :We are hopeful that we are going to reach out to more disadvantaged kids in Ajegunle and outside our vicinity, giving them access to basic quality education.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What do you think is the major cause of unemployment among the youth today, and how can we get over this?

  Grace :Nobody wants to take risk. Some of us are just waiting for the government or established private individuals to come to our rescue. We must learn to take risks, not just for monetary purpose only but for continuation of legacy, building good relationships and rights connections.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:What would you say is the role of the youth in national development?

  Grace :We must learn to pay adequate attention in nurturing the abilities of our youths. It is a well-known fact that the youth of any country is a great asset. They are indeed the future of the country and represent it at every level.

  PROJECT_INSPIRE:How can you be reached in social media? 

Grace :Instagram :@_ahudiya, @isrinaschools 

 Linkedin: @Grace Ahudiya Amuzie

Twitter @ Grace_ahudiya

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: The final word for the Nigerian youth.

Grace :Learn to change how you see things, watch things happen and speak for things to happen. My daily mantra is … Look for positivity in all things!!! So I dare the youths of today to do the same. 

  PROJECT_INSPIRE: Thank you Grace for the work you are doing. We hope that many will be inspired to action by your story. 

Grace : I hope so too. Thank you for having me.

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