Educational equity initiative launches micro-scholarship program in Niger State

In the heart of Niger State, a new foundation is taking direct action to keep girls in school and break cycles of poverty through education.

Sage Impact Foundation, founded by Dr. Chiamaka Grace Ohanebo, awarded its first round of micro-scholarships to ten deserving students at Women Day College in Bida on October 24, marking the beginning of what promises to be a transformative initiative for underserved communities in Northern Nigeria.

The scholarship program targets a critical vulnerability in the educational system: financial barriers that force capable, motivated students to abandon their studies. For many families in low-income communities, even modest school fees can become insurmountable obstacles, particularly for girl children who are often the first to be withdrawn when resources become scarce.

Dr. Ohanebo's program directly confronts this reality by providing one-year micro-scholarships to students who demonstrate academic excellence, active participation, and commitment to learning but lack the financial means to continue.

The first cohort of recipients, ranging from JSS2 to SS2, were selected not just for their grades but for their potential to become leaders and change-makers in their communities. The selection criteria emphasized consistent participation, timely completion of assignments, and academic improvement, recognizing that excellence takes many forms and that students facing economic hardship often possess extraordinary resilience and determination.

What makes this initiative particularly significant is its focus on sustainability and community engagement. Rather than offering one-time handouts, the foundation provides structured support designed to keep students progressing through their education. This approach acknowledges that educational success requires not just financial assistance but sustained encouragement and the removal of barriers that accumulate over time.

Dr. Ohanebo's vision for the foundation extends beyond scholarship provision. With a background in medicine and public health, she understands that true empowerment requires addressing multiple dimensions of student wellbeing.

The foundation has developed a comprehensive personal development curriculum that reaches students across the school, combining academic support with life skills training, health education, and mentorship.

This holistic model recognizes that keeping girls in school requires more than paying fees; it requires building confidence, providing role models, and equipping young people with tools to navigate the challenges they face.

The launch event brought together the school's principal, teachers, and community stakeholders, creating a moment of collective celebration and commitment. Photographs from the day capture the joy radiating from the scholarship recipients, young women whose educational futures were suddenly secured, whose dreams were validated, and whose potential was publicly recognized and invested in.

The foundation's work addresses a stark reality in Northern Nigeria, where girls face some of the highest dropout rates in the country. Cultural pressures, early marriage, poverty, and limited resources combine to create an educational landscape where completing secondary school remains an achievement rather than an expectation for many young women.

By providing financial support at this critical juncture, Sage Impact Foundation intervenes precisely when many girls would otherwise be forced to leave school.

For Dr. Ohanebo, this work represents a deeply personal commitment. As a woman who benefited from quality education and understands its transformative power, she is determined to extend that same opportunity to others.

Her foundation operates on a simple but powerful belief: when you invest in a girl's education, you don't just improve her chances at a better, more deserving life but you ignite change that ripples through families and communities for generations to come.