TheCable

Malala Fund has announced the appointment of two Nigerians, Rotimi Olawale and Habiba Mohammed as Gulmakai Network champions.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the fund.

The Gulmakai Network is Malala Fund’s ambitious new initiative that invests in education activists working in countries where girls face barriers to education.

Olawale is the co-founder of YouthHubAfrica, an online platform which engages young people in social change.

According to the statement, Rotimi who has more than 10 years of experience in youth advocacy and development work, will use his Gulmakai Network grant to advocate for passage of the child rights act in Nigeria.

Habiba Mohammed is the co-director of Centre of Girls’ Education (CGE) in Nigeria.

“Before Mohammed joined CGE nine years ago, Habiba was a teacher for 16 years,” the statement read.

“With her Gulmakai Network grant, she plans to develop an e-learning package for rural communities and help out-of-school girls in northern Nigeria return to the classroom.”

“Malala Fund is proud to support remarkable leaders like Rotimi and Habiba in our inaugural class of Gulmakai Network champions,” said Philippa Lei, Malala Fund interim CEO.

“We know our investment in their work will help speed up progress for girls’ secondary education around the world. Threats to girls’ education — like poverty, war and gender discrimination — differ between countries and communities.

“Malala Fund believes local education activists are best placed to understand the challenges in their communities and deliver solutions. But these women and men often lack the funding and support necessary to increase their impact.

“Malala Fund aims to close this gap by connecting our Gulmakai Network champions with each other and to the tools, training and partners they need to spark social and systemic change.

The fund plans to grow the Gulmakai Network, investing up to $10 million per year over 10 years, the statement said.