A Continent of Growth and Opportunity

Many of the fastest growing economies in the world are now on the African continent, driven by of rich natural resources and a young, hardworking, population.

Nigeria is one of the best examples of the dynamic African economies currently experiencing rapid growth, especially its largest city, Lagos. It maintains a vital location on the west coast where international shipping can shelter in the natural harbour of Lagos Lagoon. Also, The Murtala Muhammed International Airport makes the city a major hub for air traffic arriving in West Africa.

As a result of these excellent transport links, trade opportunities and a young workforce, Lagos is the 7th fastest growing city in the world. However, this growth is not experienced by everyone and there is a great deal of inequality, particularly in children’s access to education.

10.9 Million Children Missing Out on an Education

In Nigeria there are 10.9 million children that are currently out of education. They are unable to take advantage of the opportunities this rapidly growing economy has to offer.

These children will often not have internet access, as in Nigeria it can be prohibitively expensive. 5GB of data can cost £10, around a third of monthly income for some. Therefore, for many families, internet access is something they just cannot afford and leaving their children at a severe and potentially lasting disadvantage.

Path to Possibilities is a charity based in Lagos that provides educational support to children that do not have good access to education.

The primary way that Path to Possibilities enables these children access to education is through their Resource Centre. This small facility in Lagos provides hundreds of children with access to computers, internet, textbooks and IT help from volunteers.

This Resource Centre is the primary way to access the internet for the 400 children that visit every month. This is vital to the education of these children, allowing them to have the opportunity to develop they otherwise would not.

What is RiverSafe Doing to Help?

In 2019 RiverSafe donated a small sum of money to Path to Possibilities. Unknown to the company at the time, this small sum of money was crucial to making rent payments and keeping their resource centre open.

This relationship with Path to Possibilities started off small, but as we have seen the incredible work they do and the impact it makes on the lives of hundreds of children, we have sought to strengthen ties and grow our contributions.

RiverSafe strongly believes that the disadvantaged young people of Nigeria shouldn’t be held back by a lack of access to the basic digital facilities many of us take for granted. We are excited to continue and grow our relationship with Path to Possibilities over the next few years.

Find out more about the work Path to Possibilities does here on there Facebook and on their website.