By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has partnered with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),...
By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria
A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has partnered with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, to implement a strategic initiative aimed at increasing demand and ensuring sustainable funding for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
The collaboration—spearheaded by NGOs such as Stand With a Girl Initiative and Girl Effect—is part of the Campus Unite for Sexual and Reproductive Health project. The initiative seeks to attract additional funding for education and health-related programmes.
Ms. Margret-Bolaji Adebola, Founder of Stand With a Girl Initiative, stated at a wrap-up event in Zaria that the programme is designed to enhance access to quality healthcare, raise awareness on SRH, and tackle early pregnancy among students in tertiary institutions.
"This time, we used performances from the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, ABU Zaria, to promote awareness about sexual and reproductive health within the university community and surrounding areas," she said.
"The project also leverages the power of storytelling, music, and drama to effectively communicate its message, with the goal of reducing teenage pregnancy and the number of out-of-school girls."
Adebola noted that data shows a significant prevalence of sexual abuse on university campuses, including cases of "sex-for-grades" and risky behaviors among students, underscoring the need for large-scale awareness campaigns.
She said the five-month campaign, which began in December 2024 and concluded in April 2025, involved strategic student engagement, training on SRH, social and behavior change communication (SBCC), and community theatre performances.
"Now that the engagement with ABU is concluding, we plan to expand the initiative to the Federal College of Education, Zaria, and other tertiary institutions across Kaduna State," she added.
Mr. Ibrahim Hamza, Programme Manager at Girl Effect, said the project has stimulated demand for SRH services despite challenges related to dwindling donor support and funding.
He explained that the partnership with ABU will continue to explore innovative approaches to internally sustain SRH funding and close existing service gaps.
Dr. Emmanuel Gana, Head of the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts at ABU, described the collaboration as both exciting and impactful.
He emphasized that the department viewed the partnership as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of the girl child within the university and neighboring communities.
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