AGI is a two-year (2016 and 2017) UNFPA-funded project, with funding from the Canadian Government that aims to improve the learning outcomes of adolescent girls from rural areas and their life skills in primary 5 and 6 using safe space methodology. The focus of the initiative will be 10-14 year old girls. The improved learning outcome is expected to serve as an incentive against the withdrawal of girls from schools for marriage. In addition, Nana identifies girls that are vulnerable to early marriage and engages their parents, especially mothers to allow them to progress to secondary school. To further incentivize the parents and the girls, Nana has engaged the government to admit the girls into some of the best secondary schools in the state where the children of the elites attend. This project is implemented in 52 primary schools in 5 LGAs, in Kebbi state. The project is working with 1880 girls.

The goal of the Adolescent Girl Initiative is to contribute towards improving the social, economic, and health well-being of rural and low-income urban adolescent girls in Northern Nigeria and build their assets through increased access to education, reproductive health information, and services and life skills that would positively impact on health choices.

The specific objectives of the program are to:

1. Dramatically increase girls’ secondary school enrollment, performance, and rates of graduation, thus delaying the age of marriage
2. Dramatically expand opportunities for girls to acquire a broad range of relevant SRH and other life skills (e.g., self-expression and negotiation)
3. Develop leadership opportunities for adolescent girls
4. Enhance assets of girls including advocacy and communication
5. Refine and improve program effectiveness (through operations research)
6. Train and mentor female teachers.