The Anti Sexual Violence Lead (ASVIOL) Support Initiative has recorded a significant milestone in its efforts to strengthen access to education for vulnerable girls in Kaduna State through the implementation of the Aminiya Initiative, a school-based intervention designed to support adolescent mothers and married girls whose education has been interrupted to successfully return to and remain in school under the leadership or it’s Executive Director and Education Champion of Malala Fund Education Champion Network Cohort 8, Hassana Maina

Implemented with support from the Malala Fund, the Aminiya Initiative introduces a structured mentorship model that trains and certifies selected teachers as Aminiya Mentors, trusted adults equipped with skills in trauma-informed mentorship, psychosocial support, safeguarding, inclusive pedagogy, and referral pathways.

As implementation of the Aminiya Initiative progresses, the organisation recently convened a two-day Stakeholder Engagement and Validation Workshop in Kaduna State, bringing together key education stakeholders, government representatives, school leaders, teachers, development partners, civil society actors, and community representatives to strengthen collective action around girls’ school re-entry and retention.

The workshop provided an opportunity to examine the barriers that continue to limit educational access for many Adolescent Married girls and mothers,discussions throughout the engagement highlighted the need for stronger policy implementation, expanded teacher capacity building, improved psychosocial support services, community sensitisation, and safeguarding mechanisms that enable Adolescent married girls and mothers to return to learning without stigma or discrimination.

As Kaduna State continues efforts to improve educational outcomes for girls, the Aminiya Initiative represents an important step toward ensuring that school re-entry policies translate into meaningful support for the girls they are intended to serve.