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Nigeria has more than a handful of artisans who contribute to the wealth and gain of the country through their crafts. Despite their conspicuous role in nation-building, artisans in Nigeria struggle every day with the challenge of connecting with the right clients or getting fair enumeration, compensation for their labour, or being replaced by a foreign artisan. A KMPGH1 2023 report says that Nigeria has been relying heavily on foreign artisans especially in the construction sector - from masonry and iron bending to electrical work and carpentry, among others. A surprising fact states that Nigeria needs approximately 1.5 million artisans yearly, hence they're resorting to imports to fill this staggering deficit. This dependence on foreign labor extracts a hefty toll on the nation's economy, with an estimated $4.5 billion annually flowing out of the country. The gravity of the situation is underscored by a looming unemployment rate, projected to reach a disconcerting 41 percent, KPMG's H1 2023 report says. Aside from the import of skilled artisans into the country, the problem of artisans gets even worse by the day as digital innovations and platforms gradually replace traditional marketplace. They also struggle to find good markets because they mostly deal with middlemen. These middlemen don't pay them much, and the craftsmen find it tough to get loans from banks. Many craftsmen don't even know about the internet and miss out on selling their products online. The hardships faced by these artisans are glaring. The lack of adequate training, poor infrastructure, a dearth of financial resources, and an inability to tap into the wealth digital space provides have left them grappling for survival. The ongoing trend has led to the abandoning of traditional crafts due to financial difficulties, also, the gap between artisans and potential clients, especially in urban areas, remains wide, impeding the growth and visibility of these skilled individuals.

In rural Nigeria, the journey to education, health, and social progress for young girls is often hindered by the pervasive challenges surrounding menstrual hygiene management. Shockingly, over 500 million women and girls worldwide lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene, and in Nigeria, a staggering 25% of girls and women face the daily struggle of insufficient privacy for menstrual hygiene management. The repercussions are profound, with one in 10 African girls missing school during their menstrual period, perpetuating a cycle of educational setbacks that can lead to long-term consequences. This educational crisis stems from issues such as the lack of functional and segregated toilets, limited access to menstrual hygiene information, and the scarcity of sanitary materials, leaving countless girls on the sidelines of education. Beyond the walls of their classrooms, access to sanitary pads remains a dire challenge, with over 37 million Nigerian girls and women of reproductive age struggling with the unaffordability of menstrual hygiene products. This economic barrier, known as period poverty, not only hampers educational attendance but also exposes young girls to health risks due to the use of unsafe alternatives like paper, clothing, or rags. The health implications are severe, ranging from urinary tract infections to reproductive organ infections, and in extreme cases, infertility and life-threatening conditions such as toxic shock sepsis. The urgency to address this multifaceted crisis is evident, requiring a comprehensive and well-tailored health program designed to empower these girls and uplift their communities.

We live in a society where tomorrow is pegged as belonging to the youth, particularly young women, the stark reality tells a different story. Despite making up approximately 70% of Nigeria's population under the age of 30, and with girls under 30 representing nearly one-third of the total population, girls' voices remain largely marginalized in decision-making processes across all sectors in Nigeria and Africa. In the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, Nigeria is positioned at 139 out of 156 countries. These stark facts have formed front-burner conversations in civil society gatherings about a potential decline in female representation in leadership. Leadership is the core of every society that plans to grow and every society that puts women in the vantage position is serious. Female leadership is an endemic issue in Africa. In Africa, 70% of women are left out when it comes to financial and leadership opportunities, and it might take up to 140 years to change this if we don't act quickly, the report says. Despite constitutional provisions for gender equality, women still face injustices and marginalization due to discriminatory laws, cultural and religious norms, gender stereotypes, limited education, and the disproportionate impact of poverty on women. A Pew Research Center survey, rated women higher than men in leadership qualities. Women empowerment particularly young girls in rural areas in Nigeria is key because an empowered girl is an emancipated girl. Young girls in Nigeria face challenges like being told they aren't prepared for leadership, but when they do get a good education, some people see them as too intimidating. This happens in many parts of Nigeria, where women are seen as less important than men, especially in Northern Nigeria where young girls are given away at tender ages as brides instead of given education. Despite these challenges, women who have managed to break out and take leadership positions in different sectors of the economy, face gender and leadership disparity. Data from Dataphyte shows gender gap in Nigeria stands at 60% to 63.9%. This is where the program, BUILD A GIRL, BUILD A LEADER comes in. To address the many startling challenges facing young girls in Nigeria, our organization is launching this pilot program to build the leadership capacity of young girls in secondary schools in Nigeria.

Nigeria, with an estimated population of 214 million people, struggles with significant health challenges, especially among its youth. According to WHO and UN reports, Nigeria ranks 186 out of 189 on the Human Development Index, underlining the pressing need for comprehensive health interventions. Approximately 96 million people live on less than $1.90 per day, making Nigeria home to the world's largest population living in extreme poverty. The overall access to essential health services, although showing improvement, remains disproportionately lower in low-income communities. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria's healthcare systems were already grappling with meeting varied health needs, especially in sexual and reproductive health. The pandemic exacerbated these challenges, putting at risk the previously achieved advancements in health equity and gender justice. Young people and women, in particular, face formidable health challenges related to behaviour and development, influencing long-term health and chronic disease risks which impede them from maximizing their potential in life. A medically fit youth has hope, dreams, and aspirations to contribute to his country and become a member of a thriving society, hence the need for young people to have access to health information, care, policies, and assistance.