The Ebu Pottery Community in Kwara State, Nigeria, has more than 12 primary and secondary schools, but learning conditions remain severely inadequate.
Schools in the community accommodate 500-800 pupils in dilapidated buildings, with not enough desks, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. In some cases, latrines are not separated by gender, creating additional barriers for girls.
Inadequate learning conditions contribute to low enrolment and high dropout rates. An estimated 1,960 children are currently out of school. That's 1,105 girls and 855 boys aged 9 to 17 who are not in education.
But it is not simply the facilities that are a barrier to children enrolling in schools. For most families, pottery making is the main source of income. Yet a dozen handmade pots sell for just N5,000 (around £3) leaving families struggling to meet basic needs. As a result, many children are kept out of school to contribute to the household income.
The needs of the Ebu Pottery Community are urgent and interconnected.
Families require financial support to keep their children in school, as well as improvements to the educational environment. Local businesses also need opportunities to grow, so that parents no longer have to choose between education and income for their family's survival.
