At least 100 orphans just returned in school. These orphans are beneficiaries of the “Back-to-School” campaign led by philanthropist Usman Bulama El-Wakil.

They lost their parents in the deadly Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) attack on the Mafa community in Babbangida town, the headquarters of Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State, northeast Nigeria. The devastating attack, which occurred on September 1, 2024, resulted in over 80 civilian deaths, more than 40 missing or unaccounted for, numerous women widowed, and over 200 children orphaned.

60 girls and 40 boys Enrolled in School

During an interview with Ndarason, El-Wakil explained that considering the negative impact of the armed conflict on the orphans and their mothers, the initiative has become necessary to ensure these teenagers are not deprived of their right to education. “We were able to enroll over 100 orphans, comprising 60 girls and 40 boys,” he said, adding that plans are underway to enroll more in the coming weeks. “We are working with the affected families to enroll more.”

Preventing Recruitment by Insurgents

El-Wakil emphasized that every child deserves to be educated and that it’s a collective responsibility to ensure children can access education without fear or prejudice. “When children are uneducated, they become easy targets for recruitment by insurgents. Therefore, we cannot allow that to continue,” he said. “It’s our collective responsibility to ensure that children, particularly those whose parents were killed during the insurgency, receive the education they deserve.”

Monitoring Committee Established

Apart from enrollment, a committee has been set up to monitor the attendance and performance of the recently enrolled orphans to ensure they remain focused. “The primary task of the 5-man committee is to look after the pupils at school and track the progress made by the initiative,” El-Wakil explained. “We are working with all stakeholders to ensure that the orphans are sponsored up to college level so that they can have a brighter future like any other children.”

Call for Support

A middle-aged widow, Hajara Abdullahi, described the initiative as important and appealed to individuals and organizations to prioritise supporting children affected by armed conflict who are struggling to access education. “It’s difficult for us to sponsor the education of our orphans. We really need support,” she said. “After the September 2024 ISWAP attack, the number of school dropouts has sharply increased in the community due to obvious reasons.”