Project One on Tuesday rolled out a new initiative tagged Read • Eat • Learn (REL) at the Durumi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Abuja.
The five-month programme is designed to provide literacy, digital learning, and nutrition support to between 150 and 200 displaced children.
The launch, which drew government representatives, development partners, camp leaders, and members of the media, marked the beginning of what organisers described as a practical intervention to address the disruption of education among children in emergency contexts.
“Education is not a privilege — it is a right,” said Jeremiah Babaleye, Field Officer and lead of Project REL - Durumi IDP Edition.
“Over the next five months we will deliver structured literacy and numeracy lessons, introduce children to basic digital tools, and provide nutritional support — because a fed child can learn better.”
Babaleye also revealed that Project One would draft an Education Rights Policy for Displaced Children during the programme, in collaboration with partners and relevant agencies, to strengthen advocacy and provide a framework for replication in other camps.
Funded through the Global Youth Mobilisation (GYM) Fund with backing from the European Union Partnership, the project also enjoys the support of local partners such as SRHIN, host of the Durumi camp, and the Abimbola Nutrition Foundation, which is tasked with food provision.
According to Project One, the programme is targeting a 30 per cent improvement in baseline reading fluency by the end of its cycle. Sessions will hold twice weekly, combining classroom learning with play-based activities, chess, arts, and digital demonstrations.
Project One founder, Mrs. Bisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, described the intervention as a continuation of the organisation’s civic and literacy empowerment work in underserved communities. “Project One has always aimed to turn civic pride into practical action,” she said.
The FCT Universal Basic Education Board, represented by Mr. Hassan Bawa Muhammed, welcomed the initiative, noting its alignment with the board’s priorities for displaced children.
He commended the organisers for “designing a programme that couples pedagogical quality with community engagement” and pledged SUBEB’s support for continuity after the five-month cycle.
Camp leaders also expressed appreciation, describing the project as timely and impactful. “This is what our children need: a safe place to learn and a plate to eat,” the camp’s women leader said.
After the formal launch, volunteers held the first classroom session with reading exercises, storytelling, and digital learning demonstrations, while the Abimbola Nutrition Foundation coordinated an initial food distribution to the children.
Project One disclosed that it would collect baseline data this week, publish weekly updates, and produce a short docu-series to track progress.
Monthly impact reports and policy briefs will also be shared with partners. The organisation added that REL would serve as a pilot for scaling similar interventions in other IDP communities.
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