Tungan ashere: The Tungan Ashere Community in the FCT has appealed for immediate government intervention to provide essential services such as health facilities, electricity, schools, and access roads to alleviate the challenges faced by residents. The call was made during an inspection visit by the Board of Directors of ActionAid Nigeria to the area in Abuja.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, the visit was part of ActionAid Nigeria’s commitment to amplifying citizens’ voices and promoting responsive, people-centered governance. The Village Head, Mr. Sani Yakubu, expressed concern over the loss of several lives, particularly among pregnant women, due to the lack of healthcare services in the community. Yakubu shared a personal experience where his wife’s health condition became critical before reaching the nearest health facility in Zuba, exacerbated by the poor state of access roads.

Yakubu highlighted that many women in the community resort to using herbs and traditional birth attendants because of the absence of qualified medical personnel. He also pointed out the inadequate education infrastructure, with a single block of three classrooms shared among pupils from Primary 1 to 6. This setup necessitates that some students wait while others receive lessons to prevent disruptions.

Yakubu praised ActionAid for its efforts in empowering women through agricultural support and establishing a solar-powered ICT center to enhance digital learning for youth and children. The ICT center, supported by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has become a training hub for neighboring communities. The community’s engagement with government authorities, facilitated by ActionAid’s intervention, led to the establishment of the classroom block.

Mrs. Hafsat Saidu, Assistant Women Leader of Shekwodiza Women Cooperative, also appealed for the expansion of the school to include secondary education. She urged the government to complete the unfinished electricity and road projects in the area, which would improve access to markets and reduce post-harvest losses for women farmers.

Earlier, Mrs. Suwaiba Dankabo, Deputy Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, noted that the organization’s support for Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and skills training had enhanced women’s income and decision-making power. These initiatives have improved women’s access to credit, bolstered their confidence, and enabled them to start and manage small businesses.

Dankabo mentioned that ActionAid began work in the community in 2002 in partnership with the Society for Community Development (SCD). In 2017, the organization adopted the Participatory Review and Reflection Process (PRRP) to identify barriers children and youths faced in accessing the internet for learning. This led to the Breaking Digital Barriers initiative and the establishment of the ICT center.

Dankabo added that in 2018, two blocks of classrooms were constructed following community-led advocacy to the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and social media engagement by the traditional leader after digital rights training. This intervention significantly reduced the number of out-of-school children by 80 percent and increased girl-child enrollment by 90 percent.