MON, JAN 29 2024-theGBJournal| The Board of Trustees of the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative (FCI) launched its 2030 Vision at a high-level reception hosted at the Abuja residence of the Ambassador to Spain.
The vision sets out Five Cowries’ ambition to scale up its work to harness the power of arts and culture to enhance learning for children and young adults in Nigeria. The vision seeks to build on the success of Five Cowries existing programmes, which have already delivered results in Kano, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos States.
The vision will be delivered through a six-year strategic plan that sets out the actions, and resources required to scale the more inclusive learning pathways that Five Cowries offers by integrating arts and culture into educational experiences to improve learning outcomes. One of the driving theories behind the initiative is that community driven creative learning sustainably develops community resilience.
His Excellency, Ambassador Juan Sell of Spain, who hosted the reception said about the launch, “We are committed to projects that leverage the arts to offer inclusive pathways to education that are responsive to individual learning, social and cultural needs. We are pleased to be able to host the launch of this initiative and wish the Five Cowries team well as they work to broaden their impact over the coming years.”
Since inception, FCI has delivered projects in Kano via its flagship program Mu Shuka Iri (MSI), a community-based learning programme that engages caregivers and children, aged 4 to early teens, in households through a cohort of community educators called ‘Aunties’.
For the first programme – The Children’s Programme (MSI), the 2030 Vision sets out plans to roll out the programme to 19 states by 2030, starting with Kaduna, Kano, Adamawa, and Sokoto, scheduled for 2024 delivery.
FCI’s ambition is to grow the networks of hubs and schools involved in the programme, allowing the project to empower more aunties across our focus States.
The second, Young People’s Programme themed, My Story: My Heritage will provide young people soft skills needed to survive the 21st century workplace.
Speaking about the vision, the Chair of FCI, Mr. Olumide Adeosun said, “these programmes offer a route to education that improves school attendance and significantly improves numeracy and literacy outcomes whilst ensuring that no child in the community is left behind.
The Board of Trustees are excited about the planned rollout of this innovative and impactful programme. We are counting on our donors, particularly through these lean times to deliver these programmes to communities that need them the most.”
Polly Alakija, Founder/CEO, FCI says, “These programmes have a proven positive impact on educational outcomes, such as improved numeracy and literacy, as well as transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving and creativity and are fun!” FCI’s goal, she continued, is to, “drive equitable empowerment in underserved communities”.
FCI founded in 2018, was born out of the over combined 50 years’ experience in arts and education by artist, illustrator and educator, Polly Alakija and Yemisi Mokuolu, cultural entrepreneur and independent producer.
FCI engages with young creatives from different disciplines from dance, performance, visual arts, storytelling, and partners with established arts and education institutions.
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