Aid For Rural Education Access Initiative (Areai)

Founded in 2014, Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) works with and in under-resourced schools and marginalized communities, providing technical and infrastructural support to scale learning outcomes and drive tangible academic achievement for poor and vulnerable children and youth from low-income families. Using a low-cost and sustainable education delivery model that hinges on bottle brick technology, competency-based curricula, accelerated learning approach and innovative pedagogical strategies, AREAi designs and implements effective alternative educational programs that bridge the gaps between education, skills development and employability for school-aged out-of-school children and youth, especially girls, that are missing out of education, employment or training. In principle, the organisation adopts communities that are extremely remote, with very basic or non-existent educational opportunities, then build makeshift community learning centers, recruit enthusiastic community volunteers who are trained to deliver a 10-months accelerated learning program that allows beneficiaries to develop skills around digital literacy, cognitive problem solving and critical thinking, verbal communication and entrepreneurial leadership. Over the next 10 years, working with school administrators, community stakeholders and governmental agencies, we plan to educate and empower 1 million out-of-school children and youth, leveraging innovation, collaboration and technology in creating multiple alternative and informal learning and empowerment opportunities. Between 2014 and now, AREAi have directly reached a combined population of over 16,000 beneficiaries in about 8 Schools and 21 communities such as Gambari, Eko ende, Apete, Nassarawa, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Orozo, Ruga and Kaida Sabo Communities in Abuja Nigeria. We have received sponsorships and partnered with institutions such as National Library Board, Microsoft, MTN Foundation, The United Nations Department