A learner with a disability in northeast Nigeria said: “Honestly, when my teacher told me that we would stop coming to the center due to an order from the donor, I felt devastated. [This program] was my only hope. As a learner with a disability, my parents initially enrolled me in a formal school. Still, due to discrimination and the lack of a supportive learning environment, I had no choice but to drop out. [...] What happens to my dream of becoming a nurse? I pray they call us back soon because I miss my friends and my education.”
Date: 2/26
Region: Africa
Country: Nigeria
Topic: Education, Gender Equality & Inclusion
Policy Lens: Moral Leadership
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: The Opportunities to Learn activity expanded access to quality, inclusive education for children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in the region who had missed years of schooling due to conflict. According to Inclusive Development Partners, or IDP, the termination of this program means that children with disabilities continue to be segregated from their peers, assistive technologies are not widely available, and community awareness efforts have stopped.
This quote is attributed to Amina Abubakar, a learner with a disability who attended a non-formal learning center in Adamawa through Opportunities to Learn.
Devex Researcher Note: As of March 2026, Opportunities to Learn has remained closed and no other funder has stepped in, according to a conversation with IDP.
Source: IDP