The Kiajer Youth Empowerment Initiative (KYEI), a nonprofit organisation, has appealed to individuals, corporate organisations, philanthropists and development partners for financial support to sustain its five-year educational intervention programme targeting 50 vulnerable secondary school students in Abuja.
The initiative, tagged Bridge the Gap Education Support and Mentorship Programme, is designed to provide educational assistance, mentorship and personal development opportunities to students facing financial and social challenges that could hinder their academic progress.
According to the organisation, the programme seeks to address barriers to quality education, including inadequate learning resources, financial difficulties and limited access to mentorship, while helping beneficiaries develop the confidence and skills needed to pursue their aspirations.
The first phase of the programme is already underway at Junior Secondary School, Peyi, and Junior Secondary School, Lower Usman Dam, both in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Through mentorship sessions themed “Unlocking Your Potentials Through Learning,” participating students are being encouraged to embrace education, identify their strengths and make informed decisions about their future.
KYEI explained that, unlike short-term educational interventions, the programme is structured to provide sustained support to beneficiaries over five years.
To implement the first phase of the programme, KYEI set a fundraising target of ₦6,569,310 to finance educational interventions and other planned activities.
The organisation disclosed that it had so far received $1,486 through the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform and ₦47,000 through OnCrowd, amounting to approximately ₦2,069,584 based on its estimated exchange rate.
The contributions represent about 31.5 per cent of the fundraising target, leaving a funding shortfall of approximately ₦4.5 million.
KYEI noted that additional financial assistance would be required to achieve its objectives and sustain the planned interventions.
Consequently, the organisation called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, corporate bodies, charitable foundations and development partners to support the programme through donations and strategic partnerships.
It also encouraged members of the public to amplify the fundraising campaign and connect the organisation with potential donors. Speaking on the significance of the intervention, the organisation emphasised that access to education and mentorship could play a crucial role in breaking cycles of disadvantage among vulnerable young people. It maintained that providing students with the necessary educational resources, guidance and encouragement would help improve their academic performance and prepare them for future opportunities.
The organisation further stressed that collective support from individuals, businesses and development partners would be instrumental in reducing educational inequalities and creating opportunities for disadvantaged students.
Interested donors can support the initiative through its “GoFundMe fundraising campaign” (https://www.gofundme.com/f/bridge-the-gap-support-kiajers-kids) or make direct contributions to Kiajer Youth Empowerment Initiative through its Zenith Bank naira account, 1311816131, or domiciliary dollar account, 5074694232.
Prospective donors are advised to verify the banking information through the organisation’s official communication channels before making payments. Kiajer Youth Empowerment Initiative is a nonprofit organisation focused on youth empowerment and community transformation across Africa through interventions in education, skills development, healthcare and sustainable community development. The organisation can be contacted through its Communications Manager, Emmanuel Tobi Alabi, via media@kiajeryouthempowerment.africa.
