40% of Nigerians Live on Less Than $1 Per Day
Poverty permeates the lives of individuals and communities in Nigeria, leaving many trapped in a cycle of deprivation. Poverty is multidimensional and shows up as high illiteracy rates, widespread malnutrition, lack of infrastructure, and very limited access to healthcare. When the parents are suffering, our students are suffering. Our Community Empowerment activities aim to bridge the gaps that prevent kids from fully benefiting from our programs.
A2S® Basketball + Empowerment Camps
Our summer basketball and empowerment camps are some of our longest running programs. Kids deserve to be kids, and our summer camps provide a break from the battles they face in daily life. We teach leadership and teamwork, enhance self-esteem, and help youth set and achieve goals. Campers are encouraged to interact, be honest and share supportive feedback.
A2S® Community Programs
We opened the Overly Dignified Giving Center as part of the A2S Youth Center in 2022. The Dignified Giving Center is set up like a beautiful store, stocked with clothing and shoes donated by several partner organizations. The Center primarily benefits our After School Academy kids and their families, but we also open it up to the community at various times throughout the year. Parents receive vouchers so they can shop for the items their children need. Students can receive coupons as rewards for performance.
A2S launched an adult literacy program in 2023, teaching English and math literacy to mothers of our Academy students. The class meets three times a week throughout the school year. In addition, families can apply for small business grants to help them support or launch a business. The Entrepreneur Empowerment team helps facilitate this program, offering business education classes to grantees.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp
Since 2016, A2S has supported the local IDP Camp near Benin City. This camp is home to 3,500 widows and orphans who have fled terrorism in the northern region of Nigeria. Each month, A2S provides at least one week’s worth of food to the residents at the camp. We also provide semi-annual distributions of clothing, shoes, and school supplies. This outreach is near and dear to our A2S staff in Nigeria who are passionate about supporting those most vulnerable in our community. Periodically our After School Academy children also get the chance to visit during these monthly distributions and participate in giving back to their community. Over the next three years, our Career Development program participants will be collaborating with the IDP Camp to help it move toward being a more self-sustaining organization.