OUR WORK

International Literacy Day 2020

According to UN statistics, 617milliin children and adolescents are not achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics.

As part of Foosteer Initiative's commitment to equitable quality education among Nigerian children, Foosteer partnered with the Summer Reading Challenge Initiative, for a 6weeks Reading Challenge, July 19th - August 29th 2020.

This is aimed at promoting the reading culture among children. This video is a collection of some participants appreciation message to both the organizers and sponsors of this year's challenge.

We shall continue to support inclusive education for all Nigerian children.

#TheSummerReadingChallenge season 3.
#LiteracyDay
#LiteracyDay2020

EQUITABLE AND QUALITY EDUCATION

1 out of every 5 Nigerian child is out of school, many schools in Nigeria are overcrowded and lack basic infrastructure / materials to support quality education. Families often struggle to afford the supplies and fees to send their children to school.

Foosteer initiative operates in the rural poor and hard to reach areas of Nigeria, where people have hardly any access to services due to the remote location and unpredictable condition of the area. Our programs are targeted in addressing the need for sustainable development in Nigeria.

Our Educational Programs are friendly, and targeted at Nigerian children between the ages 5 -  14years Foosteer Friendly Education program (FFEP), for Nigerian out of school children, this program promotes a discovery-based, interactive education, which seeks to create a significant change in these areas through developing primary education and life skills, as well as civic sense, awareness amongst the community for their right of education and social education useful to the society and their family, because, obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development.

TheWatchersNG

TheWatchersNG incubated by AccountabilityLab is an initiative of Foosteer NGO that promotes access to equitable, quality, low cost primary education for vulnerable children living in rural community of Ajaokuta LGA, of Kogi State Nigeria. Through the use of multifaceted approach, that includes; 1. Using technology to provide access to low cost equitable quality education, and 2. Establishing data driven accountability and transparency in the education sector for citizen participation in policy development and project implementation. It monitors government spending on education, improves access to information for and by citizens (Citizen-generated data).

Nigeria prior COVID-19 pandemic, had the highest number of Out-of-school children in the world. According to UNICEF, 10.5million children ages 5-14 years are not in school, meaning 1 out of every 5 out-of-school children in the world, live in Nigeria. The only way to meet the needs of this large number, is through the use of technology, particularly the open education resource technology (OER). Hence the need for “TheWatchersNG”.

Aslo, the outbreak of COVID-19 has further worsen the already bad situation due to the closure of schools globally as way to contain the spread of the virus. According to UNESCO, an estimated 1.725 billion learners have been affected as a result of school closure representing about 99.9% of the world's student population, as of 13th April 2020.

Foosteer’s approach to education in rural poor and hard to reach areas is based on innovative and effective approaches to increase access to quality education of underserved children as well as develop an infrastructure for proper education services delivery. Nigeria as a country, currently has the largest number of out of school children, it is sad to note that about 10.5million children are out of school in Nigeria, most especially are children. 

Foosteer  makes use of Open Education Resources for both formal and non-formal, satellite schools, child to child peer education and vocational training for adolescents are some of the key components of Foosteer’s interventions for spreading education in the rural poor and hard to reach areas.

HEALTH

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Foosteer Friendly Health Programs, partners with government agencies, health organizations, other non-governmental organizations with the sole aim of reducing killer diseases associated with child and maternal mortality, and increasing life expectancy. We also make effort at increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS through education, Mental Health awareness and sensitization. E.g

Promoting human dignity, access to health, human rights and development of persons who use drugs.

Discussions are held around causes of drug abuse, stigmatization of #PWUD, Force for and against positive change in behavior to PWUD &HIV positives.

People who use drugs are highly stigmatized and  discriminated against, and are often unable to access HIV & drug services for fear of arrest or harrasment.

It is important to be kind to them, and show  that you care.

Most times, mental distress may lead to substance use, as a way of Coping with symptoms or other problems.

There is need to focus on prevention of harm than prevention of drug use itself.

Harm reduction refers to policies, programs, and practices that aim to reduce the harms associated with the use of psychoactive drugs in people unable or unwilling to stop.

Key principles of harm reduction

1. Accept that drug use is part of our society.

2. Non - judgmental approach. 

3. Meet people where they at; people centered approach.

4. Evidence based

5. Promote public health

6. Respect human rights

Finally people who use be treated with dignity, respect and engage them in response.

•  HIV Education and Reproductive Health. Provision of access to preventive and treatment health services.  Malaria, Tuberculosis
•  Water and Sanitation.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality  and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world.

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.

Support Rural Women in farming
Rural women produce half of the world’s food and, in developing countries, between 60 percent and 80 percent of food crops. Women also are more likely than men to spend their income on the well-being of their families: on more nutritious foods, school fees for children and health care. Thus, as we support their role in agriculture, we directly reduce poverty.

Because small-scale women farmers represent the majority of the rural poor in developing countries, to have the greatest impact in reducing poverty, agricultural investment and development policies must support these farmers. Agricultural investments, however, do not reflect these facts. Women in forestry, fishing and agriculture have received just seven percent of total aid for all sectors, a significant under investment. Rural women are key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development. But limited access to credit, health care and education are among the many challenges they face, which are further aggravated by the global food and economic crises and climate change. Empowering them is key not only to the well-being of individuals, families and rural communities, but also to overall economic productivity, given women’s large presence in the agricultural workforce worldwide. In achieving this, we partner with individuals, government organizations, international and other local NGOs.

PROVIDE ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
The Organization Through it’s Foosteer Light Initiative, support poverty reduction mission by developing and delivering RE (Renewable Energy) systems to rural households and businesses in SSA(sub-sahara africa). While the focus was on pv shs, foosteer initiatives based in Nigeria also supported agro-business, biomass and gas projects.

The initiative help connect rural areas to the world through (solar-powered) information technology. Although registered as an NGO, it is run, for the most part, as a not-for-profit enterprise. The organization’s solar PV program represents its largest business line, purchasing solar PV panels and other systems components (i.e., batteries) from a range of foreign and local suppliers; and assembling, selling, installing, and, where necessary, financing them.

The Nigerian market for SHS is considered to be relatively large. Approximately 75 percent of households do not have accessibility to electricity, low levels of urbanization, and a very slow political and economic reform process have made establishing a traditional energy network (or grid) very challenging. Furthermore, the high density of the Nigerian population means that, even in rural areas, there are significant concentrations of potential consumers. 

The first renewable energy initiative (Installation of 650w SHS in an off-grid residential building) that foosteer implemented was a donor-led and focused on demonstrating the functionality of the technology, FISHANDHOOKS GLOBAL NETWORK awarded the project in 2013  the project was implemented same year, the system is still functioning till date.

Currently, the initiatives' SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ACCESS PROGRAMME is a project with two major components; system 1&2, Solar Lamp Rental System (SLRS) and Solar Home System (SHS) respectively.

The Solar Lamp Rental System SLRS, powered by community charging stations provides cleaner, safer, better lighting. An integrated micro-processor on the lamps provides accurate records of kerosene replacement, while the Solar Home Systems SHS can power smaller community businesses. i.e Barber’s shop, Provision shops etc

Vision Statement A world without discrimination, poverty, hunger, disease, and want, where every woman and child is empowered to lead productive lives
 

Mission

Saving and Improving lives of women and children in poor communities through integrated Innovations.