ActionAid Nigeria, through its implementing partner, the CITAD, organised a high-level Board and General Assembly visit to Kaida Sabo Community under the Local Rights Programme (LRP).

(total number of male, female and PWDs)

Female= 300

PWDs =

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Situation Before the Visit

• The Board required direct evidence of programme implementation and community ownership.
• Community members sought an opportunity to interact directly with ActionAid Nigeria leadership and share their experiences.
• The visit aimed to validate programme achievements while identifying remaining development needs.
• ActionAid Nigeria intended to assess sustainability mechanisms established within the community.

Findings During and After the Visit

The monitoring visit confirmed that interventions implemented since 2023 have produced measurable positive changes across multiple thematic areas.

The Board observed that:

• The ICT Centre is fully operational and serving children and young people preparing for computer-based examinations.
• Community facilitators have acquired the capacity to independently deliver digital literacy training.
• Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups have strengthened household savings culture and women’s economic resilience.
• Gender Action Learning System (GALS) participants demonstrated improved household decision-making and increased participation of women in family economic planning.
• Community Gender-Based Violence Champions have become recognised resource persons for awareness creation and referral of GBV cases.
• Agroecology interventions have encouraged environmentally sustainable farming practices and improved food production.
• Community ownership of programme activities has significantly increased, with traditional leadership providing continuous support.

The Board Chairperson, Hajiya Rabi Isma, expressed satisfaction with the quality of implementation and particularly commended the confidence demonstrated by Child Ambassador and ICT facilitators during the interaction sessions.

(detailed report of activity)

The visit formed part of ActionAid Nigeria’s commitment to accountability, participatory monitoring, learning and strengthening community-led development. It provided Board Members and the General Assembly with the opportunity to engage directly with programme beneficiaries and assess the impact of interventions implemented within the community since the commencement of the partnership in 2023.

The programme commenced with the arrival of distinguished guests, followed by an opening prayer and introduction of dignitaries. Community members warmly welcomed the delegation through colourful cultural performances that reflected the rich cultural heritage of the Gbagyi people.

The Deputy Country Director delivered the welcome remarks, appreciating the community for embracing the Local Rights Programme and sustaining the interventions introduced by ActionAid Nigeria and CITAD.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, the Board Chairperson, representatives of Gwagwalada Area Council, traditional institutions and other stakeholders. The speakers reaffirmed ActionAid Nigeria’s commitment to promoting social justice, women’s rights, children’s participation and sustainable community development.

The traditional ruler, Etsu Yakubu Magaji (Etsu Akpale), appreciated ActionAid Nigeria for bringing transformative development initiatives to Kaida Sabo. He acknowledged that the interventions had improved educational opportunities, strengthened community cohesion and increased economic opportunities for women and young people.

Community representatives showcased achievements under the Local Rights Programme through practical demonstrations and testimonies covering:

• ICT Centre operations
• Agroecology farming practices
• Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)
• Gender-Based Violence prevention initiatives
• Gender Action Learning System (GALS)
• Child Sponsorship and Child Message Collection activities

The delegation proceeded to inspect the ICT Centre, where Board Members observed practical computer sessions facilitated entirely by trained community volunteers. The Board was impressed by the quality of instruction and the confidence displayed by learners.

Interactive sessions were subsequently held with women, youth groups, GBV Champions, VSLA members, agroecology farmers, entrepreneurs and Child Ambassadors. Beneficiaries shared personal stories illustrating how ActionAid Nigeria’s interventions had improved their livelihoods, strengthened household decision-making, increased income opportunities and expanded access to education.

One of the highlights of the visit was the presentation delivered by the Child Ambassador, Ummaima, whose confidence, articulation and leadership greatly impressed the Board Chairperson. Similarly, Fatima, one of the ICT Centre trainers, demonstrated the effectiveness of the digital literacy programme through practical computer demonstrations and explained how the ICT Centre continues to support children preparing for computer-based examinations.

The visit concluded with a vote of thanks, group photographs and refreshments, providing an opportunity for informal interaction between Board Members and community residents.

Overall, the visit successfully demonstrated that the Local Rights Programme has become deeply rooted within the community, with local structures increasingly taking ownership of programme implementation and sustainability.

The ActionAid Nigeria Board commended CITAD and the Kaida Sabo Community for the successful implementation of the Local Rights Programme and the strong sense of ownership demonstrated by community members.

Board Members noted the following:

• The ICT Centre represents an innovative intervention that is bridging the digital divide in rural communities.
• Women’s economic empowerment initiatives have significantly improved household resilience.
• Child participation has become a visible strength of the programme.
• Traditional leadership continues to provide effective support for community mobilisation.
• Community volunteers are effectively sustaining programme activities beyond external support.

The Board Chairperson specifically applauded the presentations made by Child Ambassador Ummaima and ICT Trainer Fatima, describing them as practical evidence of the transformative impact of investing in education, leadership development and community empowerment.

Recommendations

• Expand the ICT Centre through the provision of additional computers, internet connectivity and reliable renewable energy solutions.
• Strengthen youth employability programmes through advanced digital and entrepreneurship training.
• Increase support for women-led livelihood and savings initiatives.
• Expand agroecology interventions to reach more farming households.
• Continue strengthening child participation platforms within the community.
• Increase periodic monitoring visits by ActionAid Nigeria leadership to reinforce accountability and learning.
• Strengthen collaboration with local government institutions for sustainability and scale-up of successful interventions.

• Successfully validated the impact of the Local Rights Programme in Kaida Sabo Community.
• Strengthened accountability and transparency between ActionAid Nigeria and community beneficiaries.
• Reinforced community ownership of programme interventions through direct engagement with Board Members.
• Increased confidence among women, youth and children to actively participate in community development processes.
• Enhanced visibility of successful interventions including ICT education, agroecology, VSLA, GALS and GBV prevention.
• Generated valuable recommendations that will inform future programme planning and resource allocation.
• Strengthened collaboration between ActionAid Nigeria, CITAD, traditional institutions, local government representatives and community structures.
• Inspired Board Members through first-hand evidence of sustainable, community-led development, particularly the leadership demonstrated by young people and women beneficiaries.