Faiza Bello’s journey from silence to strength is a story of defiance, determination, and a strong fight for change in her community.
At the age of 18, Faiza witnessed the harsh reality of forced marriage when her sister was married off at a tenger age.
Despite the difficulties her sister faced in the marriage, she was unable to prevent it at the time.
However, when an opportunity for change arose, Faiza became a voice for those who, like her sister, were at risk of losing their futures to early marriage.
Faiza is one of the many beneficiaries of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Child Protection Center in Dange Shuni Local Government Area, Sokoto, where the Almajiri and Out-of-School Adolescent Girls are empowered by providing education and vocational training.
Sponsored by UNICEF and Eleva Foundation, the project aims to combat the issue of child marriage and offer mentorship, life skills training, and trade skills such as knitting, cosmetology, tailoring, and shoemaking.
At the center, Faiza found the strength to challenge the system that sought to keep girls like her in the cycle of early marriage.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP, Faiza admitted that she learnt a lot from the centre.
“I’ve been learning how to produce products like Vaseline, shampoo, and other essentials.
“There’s also an emphasis on raising awareness about contemporary issues in society. For example, we’ve been taught about early marriage, and how to address things that aren’t right in a way that doesn’t offend anyone.
“The center really helps us change the narrative, and we are encouraged to take what we’ve learned here and share it with others in our households. We are making a difference in our communities.”
But it wasn’t just the skills that changed her life, it was also the awareness she gained. “We’ve also been taught about the dangers of early marriage and how to address these issues without offending anyone.”
Faiza’s passion for change comes from personal experience. She said that her sister was married off at a very young age.
“There were many issues in her marriage, and when I discussed this with my mother, I told her things shouldn’t have been done this way, based on everything I had learned. But my mother insisted that since our father had decided, they had no choice but to accept it.”
Despite her mother’s initial resistance, Faiza didn’t give up. She used the skills and knowledge she gained at the center to change her family’s mindset.
“I was able to persuade my parents that there are better ways to handle these situations. I’ve seen a real change in my sister’s household since then.”
The impact of the programme didn’t stop with Faiza. She has been teaching her family how to use the practical skills she’s learned, from making shampoo to producing bath soap, helping them become more self-sufficient.
Faiza’s story is one of resilience and hope. She is proof that with the right resources, even the most vulnerable girls can transform their lives and break free from the constraints of early marriage.
Nenman Calvin, the head of the counseling unit at the community-based child protection center in Dange Shuni, explained that the center regularly works with girls and their families to discourage early marriages.
“Each month, we counsel at least 5 to 10 girls. Sometimes, we meet with their parents and convince them to allow their daughters to continue their education. We’ve had positive responses, with many parents trusting us with the responsibility of their children’s future,” she said.
Since January, 20 girls have been successfully withdrawn from early marriages and enrolled in the programme, a testament to the center’s influence and the growing support from families.
Despite these successes, Faiza and the center’s counselors are calling for more support, especially financial assistance, to ensure that more girls can access education and vocational training.
“Sometimes, even when we send them to government schools, they don’t learn as much,” Calvin added.
“But with the right support, we can ensure these girls have a better future.”Alhaji Muhammed Sabi Umar, district head of Gagi, Sokoto South Local Government, who is also a member in the Sokoto Mobilisation Committee for Al-Majiri Integrated Issue, and as well as a different gatekeeper in mobilising and bridging gaps between the government, the partners, and the community, said a lot of gaps have been identified that necessitate movement of Al-Majiri along the street, in the urban and the rural slums.
“Most different issues cut across, which include, but not limited to, even for teaching and learning material, which I believe digital literacy is part of what we need to bridge gaps between different skills. Our children today need not only literacy and numeracy, as well as skill acquisition so that they can improve their learning outcomes.
“At the end, they will not be looking for a white-collar job from the government. They will be dependent on their own. So I believe the centre here will equip the children with the basic literacy and numeracy, as well as also skill acquisition through digital world,” he added.
