|
In
a place where girls are expected to marry young and their
education is often cut short, the Kabara NGO aims to widen their
world view through activities such as building machines, using
common software programmes and learning about maths and science.
"I came to Kabara to learn robotics and I have created a lot of
things," said Fatima Zakari, 12. One of her creations is a
battery-powered spin art device to create distinctive artwork.
"I am happy to share this with my younger ones and the community
at large for the growth of the society," she said proudly.
Kabara is the brainchild of engineer Hadiza Garbati, who wanted
to raise the aspirations of northern Nigerian girls and help
them develop skills they might harness to start their own small
businesses or enroll at university.
Since it started in Kano in 2016, Kabara has trained more than
200 girls, and Garbati is working on expanding her project to
other northern cities.
It is a rare educational success story in northern Nigeria,
where more than 1,000 children have been kidnapped from their
schools by ransom seekers since December, causing many more to
drop out because their parents are fearful of abductions.
Kabara, located in a safe area in the heart of Kano, has been
unaffected by the crisis.
Garbati said she had overcome resistance from some parents by
being highly respectful of Islamic traditions. The girls wear
their hijabs during sessions.
Crucial to her success has been support from Nasiru Wada, a
close adviser to the Emir of Kano, a figurehead who has moral
authority in the community. Wada holds the traditional title of
Magajin Garin Kano.
"The main reason why we are doing this is to encourage them, to
open their minds," said Wada.
"Tradition, not to say discourages, but does not put enough
emphasis on the education of the girl child, with the belief
that oh, at a certain age, she will get married," he said.
"It is good to encourage the girl child to study not only the
humanities but the science subjects as well because we need
healthcare workers, we need science teachers," he said, adding
that even married women needed skills to manage their affairs.
(Reporting by Seun Sanni and Nneka Chile, writing by Estelle
Shirbon; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
