Back in October 2019, the World’s Largest Lesson Nigeria began a week-long initiative to teach 750, 000 children across the country about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As part of a global campaign to educate and activate children and young people for the SDGs, World’s Largest Lesson gave children both in and out of school opportunities to take part in a special, Nigeria edition of the World’s Largest Lesson.
Throughout the week, lessons were taught by a team of 2500 youth volunteers, with a hope to unlock in children a vision for the Nigeria that they want to see in 2030. They also focused on how Nigeria could achieve the SDGs and children were asked to think about what actions they could take to make these visions become a reality.
On the final day of the activation week in Abuja, students were joined by a group of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and UN agencies in an event showcasing what everyone had learnt throughout the week. Children then made a simple request to the Federal Ministry of Education asking them to – “please make it possible for all children in Nigeria to understand how they can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and build a sustainable Nigeria for everyone”.
Following the activation week – 30,000 children took part in 300 afterschool clubs. These clubs, known as Club17 Africa have been endorsed and supported by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and the Federal Ministry of Education. Children in schools or in out of school community groups and Internally Displaced People camps also had the opportunity to learn about the SDGs and develop ideas for their community projects. The winners of these were awarded small cash grants to make their projects become possible.
While the project has been stimulated and supported by the World’s Largest Lesson it has been created in Nigeria by three organisations – The DEAN Initiative, The Center for Development Support Initiatives and Teens Can Code. All of these organisations have a passion to bring education and skills for the 21st Century to children in Nigeria. They use special materials and resources for teachers including a poster created by Nigerian illustrator Henry Ezeokeke Lagos State, a club activity pack created by Dr Mina Ogbanga from Rivers State, and a teacher training course developed as a Facebook Community group by Ayodele Odeogbola from Ogun State.
They have been supported in their efforts by Avanti Communications, UNICEF and UNESCO – all of whom work to support the World’s Largest Lesson reach children all across the world.
When speaking to participating children about their projects, Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations said
Kyle Whitehill, CEO of Avanti Communications further added, “For 15 years we have worked to launch satellites to deliver broadband into areas where it’s difficult to reach, with the aim of helping people to realise their ambitions by connecting them to a world of opportunity. Education is absolutely fundamental to enabling success and empowering individuals to be more, and, through projects like the World’s Largest Lesson, we can help children to build a better future for their families and communities.”
The project’s launch was also supported by Her Excellency Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs Nigeria said “I am optimistic that the commencement of this Youth-led World Largest Lesson activation in our country would not only bring the SDGs into our classrooms but into our communities and homes, to assist our young minds to identify problems and proffer local solutions'.
To know more about Project Everyone: World's Largest Lesson, check out their innovation page. Animated films, posters and lesson plans for teaching the SDGs in Nigeria are freely available to download here.
All photo credits and copyright: World’s Largest Lesson Nigeria
