Empowering Rural Girls to Code

Rural Girls are more likely to be victims of early marriages and female genital mutilation than their urban counterparts. A lot of young girls in rural areas are prone to sexual abuse and domestic violence. Lack of education, poor security, high rate of crime and unemployment, and lack of access to technology tools pose a lot of threat to the lives of girls living in rural areas and disadvantaged communities.

I am currently working on two projects to help girls living in rural areas and disadvantaged communities. They are: Project Rural Girls Code and iLearn Mob App.

With Nigeria listed as one of the poorest countries in the world, and over 80 million living below poverty line, hunger and poverty have remained high in many areas, with a lot of children out of school. Most girls living in rural areas come from poor family background and have no one to help them.

Most of these girls living in rural areas are usually \"pressurized\" by families and relatives to start \"looking for a husband\" as soon as they finish secondary school (that is if they get to go to secondary school). In most cases, these girls look forward to getting married to a \"rich man\" and so have no desire to continue their education or learn a skill because they believe the man will shoulder all their responsibilities.

Project Rural Girls Code is designed to train girls aged 12 to 18 from rural areas and disadvantaged communities with digital and coding skills while iLearn Mob App is targeted at encouraging students aged 12 to 18 in secondary schools to tackle social problems in their communities using mobile applications. Mobile applications have become primary tools that we use daily in our personal and professional lives and play key roles in facilitating development in various areas in the society such as education, travel, security, business, entertainment, medical, finance, transportation and communication.

The project will involve organizing digital and coding workshops in various secondary schools in rural areas and partnering with nonprofit organizations involved in gender equality, poverty reduction and job creation. Personal self development training and mentoring will also be incorporated into these projects and these will also encourage the girls to learn how to develop their problem solving skills.

I believe girls and women are great catalysts for development and the saying that \"If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a nation.”

I want to reach out to girls in rural areas and encourage them to not let their background deter them from striving for greatness. Empowering rural girls will not only make a difference in their lives but also their families, country and the world at large.

If you wish to support any of the projects above, please send an email to: writetousinspireit@gmail.com