For World Youth Day, we return to Sangere-Bode, a region in North-East Nigeria, where the scars of terrorism and violent insurgency is still felt today.

When we first met Evelyn, she was a quiet ten-year old who struggled without basic learning materials.

Since then, the scholastic kit and school fee support she received has made a huge difference.

Not only has her performance improved, but her confidence has grown too – all of which couldn’t be possible without help like yours.

In Adamawa state the violent terrorism of Boko Haram still leaves its scars today and has now concentrated in the North-East region of the country leaving Christian communities in particular vulnerable.

Mass shootings and militia violence from jihadists and criminal gangs is common and the region is extremely unstable as government forces clash with armed groups.

Earlier this year, there was an attack on civilians on a football pitch by the Islamic State (IS) group. This gives you an idea of the heartbreaking reality for ordinary men, women and children who are caught in the crossfire and bear the brunt of violent terrorism and insurgency.

Life has not been easy for Evelyn and her family.

After fleeing Michika (an area further north of Adamawa), Evelyn’s father passed away leaving her mother as the sole provider for the family.

This responsibility comes with harsh choices and with passing seasons Evelyn’s mother must travel to a remote farming plot to keep her livelihood afloat– leaving Evelyn and her sister for weeks at a time.

In her mother’s absence, Evelyn is cared for by her elder sister, who manages the home.

Her sister spoke warmly but honestly about the family’s hopes: they want to see Evelyn complete primary school and continue to secondary school but are uncertain where the support to make that possible will come from.

“I want to be a nurse and help sick people — and make money to take care of my mother.” Evelyn tells us with a smile.

This smile is matched by her bright eyes which light up when she talks.

This dream of hers has been on her mind for some time it seems, and Evelyn has hope and determination for a happier future. She sees beyond the immediate. She sees secondary school. She sees a career.

For a child navigating the instability of seasonal displacement, loss, and economic uncertainty, that quality of hope is so remarkable and worth protecting.

Earlier this year, Evelyn received a school kit with learning materials like textbooks, pens & stationary including the school bag which was almost as big as herself!

Our Red Chair Campaign is a fund aimed at leaving no one behind, and support and donations will pool monies to continue to bring education to those who need it most.

The children our projects support include internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled terrorist and rebel strongholds in the state.

Sangere-Bode is one area where we work which is now home to IDPs where temporary camps have become settlements as return seems unlikely given the violence.

Our education response in the region has focused on providing children, like Evelyn, with learning materials and school bags in an education programme focused on conflict affected communities which include Masil community (Askira), Old-Demsa community (Demsa LGA) and the Sangere-Bode community (Yola-South) which is where Evelyn attends school. All these communities are within Adamawa State.

In addition to providing school kits, we roll-out ‘Accelerated Learning’ spaces, providing young students who have missed years of schooling because of violence with the opportunity to transition back into the formal education system.

At IJI we know education gives hope and is the tool in which people can break from extreme poverty. Every child deserves a safe place to dream, to grow, and to shape their own future.

For World Youth Day, you can transform the lives of children overcoming so many challenges in places that are all too often forgotten by headlines.

Do something amazing today & help children like, Evelyn, continue to dream!

You can find out more about our education projects in Nigeria, here