If the answer to your question is not available on the website at this time, please contact us.

Questions About Getting Involved

Q: Why should I help provide access to education for poor Nigerian children, when there are poor children in the United States?

A: There are poor children all over the world. All children should get our attention and all children in need deserve to be helped. All children deserve a quality education. We continue to learn that the world is a global village and that countries can no longer be perceived as independent and disconnected as we once thought them to be. What happens in one country affects what happens in another. In the United States, despite the need, many structures are already built into the system to assist those in need and numerous organizations exist that focus on alleviating poverty among children. Literacy is high and all children readily receive an education. On the other hand, in Nigeria where the literacy rate is currently less than 50 %, there are incredibly few structures that exist and/or that function effectively to ensure that poor people are provided for. Social conditions are extremely harsh and the wave of poverty, coupled with illiteracy is so far reaching and devastating that a middle class is almost non-existent to reach down to those less fortunate. A minute percentage of individuals own and control most of the resources, while the vast majority of the people live in extreme poverty. To wait on this privileged few to provide for the less fortunate is tantamount to abandoning hope for the needy Nigerian children. Consequently, Eduwatch relies on enlightened people and organizations of good conscience, that know the value of children and understand the role children will play in the future security of our world for support of these children.

Q: I am not a teacher and I am not involved with schools. However, I would like to get involved with Eduwatch. What can I do?

A1: Although Eduwatch programs and projects serve children in schools and other educational institutions in Nigeria, anyone can get involved. We thrive on volunteers! As a volunteer you choose your hours and duties.

We are especially in need of volunteers who live in the greater Washington DC area, who are able to donate an occasional hour or two, to assist us in picking up and preparing materials for distribution, filing documents, doing some computer work, doing general administrative work, working on project design, program management and public relations etc. Contact us by e-mail at eduwatch@eduwatch.org or call us at 301-869-4720.

A2: Geographical location is not a barrier for participating in our ongoing community based projects like the "Nigeria Reads!" project or the "Meet A Nigerian Author" project. Click here to find out about our ongoing community projects. We hope to establish additional projects as time goes on. Feel free to contact us with additional ideas.

A3: Of course, you can always choose to support any of our programs through your voluntary donations. Click on the programs link to learn more about our programs and visit our contact page for more details about how to make a contribution.

Q: I am interested in getting involved with Eduwatch and sharing information at my school, but I am not able to go to Nigeria to help. What can I do?

A1: There are many ways to get involved without ever purchasing a plane ticket. Outside of becoming an Eduwatch volunteer, you can promote tolerance by creating awareness about Nigeria and its people.

Share what you would like to do with your administrator. Invite him/her to visit the Eduwatch website. Make sure you have visited it yourself and feel comfortable enough with the information.

With children, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn geography, social studies and mathematics in a real-life way. Begin by asking children if they know where Africa is. On a map, have them locate the continent of Africa and then the country of Nigeria. It is really important to help children recognize that Nigeria is a country on the African continent. You may choose to begin with a KWHL about Nigeria.

Whatever you do, keep your focus on Nigeria the country. Be careful not to get lost in the romance of a far… far away continent called Africa. Present a balanced view. Remember, people are people wherever you go. If you don't know the answer to a question, don't make one up based on your knowledge of other African countries; say you don't know. Generalizations and stereotypes hurt people. Find out answers to questions together.

Books like Children from Australia to Zimbabwe: A Photographic Journey Around The World by Maya Ajmera and Anna Rhesa Versola are an excellent resource for introducing children to Nigeria. The ISBN # for this book is 1-57091-478-8.

Additional curriculum materials on Nigeria and other African countries may be obtained at the following websites:

Motherland Nigeria website at http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/stories.html

Africa Access website: http://www.africaaccessreview.org

We highly recommend the Africa Access website because the books at this web site are reviewed and rated for a balance in the view of the cultures presented.

A2: There are many Nigerian professionals in diaspora. You can invite Nigerian speakers to your class. This way your class gets to meet a Nigerian in person and to ask questions about Nigerian culture. Prepare yourself and your class ahead of the speaker's arrival for the fact that Nigerian culture is diverse. Culture Matters: The Peace Corps Cross-Cultural Workbook by the Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange is a very useful resource for adults to increase their awareness of personal underlying assumptions and values about cultural views. The workbook is written from the perspective that no one culture is superior to the other.

A3: Invite your organization, school system, school or community to participate in one or more of our programs. Information about each program can be found by clicking on the programs link. Below are some ideas for implementing our programs.

Partners in Education
Encourage your community, school system or school to partner with Eduwatch in order to engage in broad based support of our programs at partner schools in Nigeria. These projects are intended to be long term and mutually beneficial. They could be in the form of Teacher Exchange programs, Teacher Training, Action Research projects, donating equipment or providing financial support for specific projects, Student Service Learning Projects, involvement in Eduwatch education campaigns, etc.  Contact us for more ideas or to suggest more ideas.

Books for Schools
Select a school or schools that you would like to support. Hold a book or school supplies drive to benefit the children in the schools we serve. Remember that books in fair to excellent condition are best. It sends a message that you respect and care about the recipients. Pennies/Coins for books is another way that children can collect money to be used to buy books and needed supplies at partner schools in Nigeria. This eliminates the need to be concerned about the cost of shipping books. Penny/Coin bins can be placed in classrooms, offices etc. with signs indicating what the money is being collected for. Estimation activities could be planned around the coin collections. Estimating how many pennies will fill a given container, how many books can be bought with a full container of coins given that each book costs $X are just a few ideas for the class to engage in. Feel free to contact us with additional ideas.

Adopt A School
A class or a school can adopt one of our affiliate schools in Nigeria. Part of the adoption relationship can be an exchange of information and ideas. Students can write letters about their daily life, exchange artwork, photo-journal (exchange photographs), and write letters about a book that has been read by students at both ends. It is advisable to send a copy of such books to the school in Nigeria because many books are simply not available. Contact us for assistance with getting your mail to the school safely. We have established guidelines for communicating with children at schools in Nigeria and encourage you to follow them strictly to ensure mutual respect.

Student Sponsorship
A class may choose to collectively sponsor a needy student and follow this student through a year of elementary school through written correspondence. Contact us for guidance through this process.

Q:  Who is eligible for a Student Sponsorship?

A: Only needy students at partner schools are eligible.  Children of staff and their relatives are not eligible.  Selection of grant recipients is based on real financial need as determined by the staff and major stake holders at partner schools.  Final determination is made by Eduwatch staff.  Eligibility for this grant is not based on high academic performance.  Parents/guardians may not contact Eduwatch directly.

Q: Who can sponsor a student?

A: Anyone who wishes to can sponsor a student.  Groups of individuals may also choose to collectively sponsor a needy student. A sponsor may indicate a preference in the gender and age range of the child he/she wishes to sponsor.  Contact us for guidance through this process.

Q: What happens when I sponsor a student?

A: When a student is sponsored, the sponsor receives a letter from Eduwatch acknowledging his/her tax-deductible contribution. This letter includes some basic information about the grant recipient and a photograph of this child.   A document providing guidelines for communication between student and donor is attached.  The name of the donor is cataloged online on the Eduwatch web site. 

A grant notification letter directed to the school the grant recipient attends; a similar letter is sent to the child's guardian or parents along with a contract that stipulates the terms of the grant.  Funds are released to the school bursary on behalf of the student once all stake holders are aware of the grant and have agreed to the terms under which the grant is being made.

Grant recipients and their parents/ guardians are expected to write appreciation letters once their grants are made.  The letters are forwarded to donors.  Eduwatch keeps copies of these letters on file.

Questions From Partner Schools in Nigeria

Q: My school would like to become an Eduwatch partner. What do we do?

A: First, contact Eduwatch by postal mail or e-mail. Provide detailed contact information for your school to include the name of the headmistress/ headmaster or the proprietor/ proprietress. Include data as to how many students you serve at each class level and state whether this is a fee paying school or not. You will be contacted by Eduwatch in writing once an initial evaluation of your school has been completed.

Q: Can we choose to participate in some of your programs without becoming a partner school?

A: No. Our programs are only available to schools that we have partnered with. Working only with partner schools allows us to monitor the use/distribution of materials and resources we direct to a given school.

Q: Once we become a partner school, how long will it be before we begin to receive needed books and other school supplies?

A: We usually have books available for immediate pick up. Other supplies are available as we get them or as funds are available to purchase them. How soon you get the books depend on how quickly you or interested parties can make arrangements to get the books to your school.

Q: Since Eduwatch does not bear the cost of shipping books and materials to our school at this time, what are some ways in which we can find money to ship our books?

A: Eduwatch plans with key stakeholders at schools as necessary to work through their P.T.A., capable private individuals, and both local and global community organizations to raise funds for the shipment of books.

Q: What types of books does Eduwatch typically collect and distribute?

A: Since Nigeria's official language is English; we focus on books written in the English language. Most of our collection comprise textbooks on various subject areas (English language, math, physics, biology, sociology, social studies etc), children's literature and resource books like dictionaries and English grammar books. We also collect and distribute professional books on education such as books on classroom management, cooperative learning etc. The books that we collect and distribute are intended to support the existing curriculum and to help acquire and improve reading and writing skills in the English language. Our books are also intended to promote a love of reading.

Q: Can we request particular types of books?

A: Yes. We strongly encourage you to ask for what you need. Our role is one of enhancing your school curriculum, expanding literacy, and improving the quality of education. We want you to have only what you need. We may make some suggestions based on sound research and our assessment of your school needs. However, the final decision is yours. Your school will continue to receive our services even if you do not agree with all our recommendations.

Q: Why do we need an e-mail account?

A: We make an e-mail account part of our requirements for partnership because it invites every school into the world of technology. It is also an excellent way to communicate in written form while keeping paperless records. Best of all it is faster and not depended on your school having access to a telephone or uninterrupted electricity supply!

Q: We do not have a computer at my school. How could we possibly get an e-mail account?

A: Although you do not have a computer at your school, most communities have Cyber Cafes or Business Centers. We encourage you to go to one of these places to access a computer. There are many free e-mail services available on the Internet. We will be glad to recommend some to you.

Q: Are there any costs involved when we go to the Cyber Café or Business Center?

A: Yes. There is a small fee involved for time you spend using the computer. This fee is nominal in comparison to the benefits that you will derive from the partnership. We will also be glad to help you plan how to work with your community and P.T.A. to get money to cover such costs.

Q: Why do you only give $100.00 a year for student sponsorships?

A: The grants for students at fee-paying schools are only intended to cover tuition. They are not intended for the purchase of uniforms or any other school supplies. We do not wish to take over the role of families and other caretakers as those responsible for the education and well-being of children. Our role is one of supporting their efforts. Refer to the section on Student Sponsorship for additional information.

Q: Why do Eduwatch personnel insist on coming to a school to conduct the interview before they decide if the school qualifies for program services?

A: Conducting the school interview process at the school site is extremely important to us at Eduwatch. Although it can be costly, time intensive and sometimes unsafe, it gives us an opportunity to document and verify information first hand. It also allows us to meet with stakeholders who might not be able to reach out for help otherwise.

Q: Why might Eduwatch refuse to partner with a school or educational institution?

A: The goal of Eduwatch is to provide Nigerian children access to quality education. In order to do this, Eduwatch firmly bases its relationships with stakeholders on mutual respect, integrity, responsibility, reliability, efficiency and effectiveness. Eduwatch reserves all rights to refuse to form a relationship with any institution in which any of these principles are found to be questionable. Reporting inaccurate data, presenting unverifiable data, attempting to stage events or an inability to provide required documentation within the set time limit are all grounds for denial or termination of partnership.

Q: Why don't all partner schools get the same services?

A: Eduwatch programs are available to all partner schools. Program services are delivered to school based on the needs assessment conducted during the school interview process. The information on the needs assessment is updated as the Eduwatch/school relationship matures. Resources are scarce and must be used wisely. Each school gets only what they need.