Street2School

Making education accessible to vulnerable children by providing mobile learning spaces where education meets the children at their own convenience.

 • Oversee all project activities and be the main contact point for anything Street2School 

• Lead and motivate the project team, monitor project activities and project expenditure, and coordinate work with consultants and volunteers in the project. 

• Ensures close collaboration and coordination with cooperating partners to guarantee smooth implementation of activities and the achievement of results as specified in grant agreements. 

• Employs resourcefulness in project design, implementation, and monitoring. Troubleshoot project problems. Identifies and implements creative solutions. 

• Delegate tasks to all team members and monitor the progress of tasks. Monitor whether the job roles and responsibilities of individuals are met. 

• liaising with the community, volunteer teachers, volunteers, and professional employees (educators, lawyers, accountants, web designers, etc.) 

• Point of contact for Street2School and the world

 • Third-party access to emails 

• Working closely with the finance manager with regards to anything financial.

The LEAP Project presents a significant opportunity for Street2School to advance its mission of empowering underserved communities through education. To effectively support the LEAP Project, Raidat Karim, along with the supporting team members, including Michael Ojo, Rose Enemchukwu, Patricia Okolo, James Danga, Emmanuel Amaechi, and Ibitomi Otunola, are strategically positioned to leverage their expertise, experience, and collaborative spirit, even amidst other organizational priorities.

Raidat Karim, as the team lead, brings a wealth of experience in project management and community engagement, making her well-suited to oversee all project activities and serve as the primary point of contact for Street2School. With a track record of successful project implementation, Raidat possesses the leadership skills necessary to motivate the project team, monitor activities, and ensure efficient utilization of resources. She is adept at troubleshooting project problems and implementing creative solutions, ensuring the smooth execution of the LEAP Project.

Supporting Raidat Karim are dedicated team members with specialized roles:

- Michael Ojo, Assistant Project Manager, assists Raidat in coordinating project activities, ensuring tasks are delegated effectively, and monitoring progress.
  
- Rose Enemchukwu, Communications Personnel, manages communication strategies and outreach efforts to engage stakeholders and raise awareness of the LEAP Project.

- Patricia Okolo, Finance Manager, collaborates closely with Raidat and the team to manage project finances, ensuring transparency and accountability in all financial transactions.

- James Danga, Researcher (Community and Education Policy), conducts research on community needs and education policy to inform project planning and implementation.

- Emmanuel Amaechi, Researcher (Educational Innovations), explores innovative educational approaches and practices to enhance the impact of the LEAP Project.

- Ibitomi Otunola, Community Manager, liaises with community members, volunteers, and partners to ensure their active involvement and participation in project activities.

Our team members collectively possess a diverse skill set and are committed to contributing their expertise to the success of the LEAP Project. We are accustomed to working collaboratively across multiple projects and are dedicated to fostering meaningful partnerships and engagement with stakeholders.

Street2School: Indigenous innovators of the first mobile school in Nigeria

The most recent data from UNESCO Institute for Statistics reveals that in 2021, 224 million children and youth aged 6 to 18 worldwide were still unable to attend school. With a staggering 98 million children and young people excluded from education in Sub-Saharan Africa, we face the greatest challenge.

In Nigeria today, the lack of quality education is a huge concern. Due to inadequate funding, a lack of quality infrastructure, teachers, an outdated curriculum, and the absence of technology.

In response to this problem, I moved to the University of Calgary to study educational research with a specialisation in learning sciences to learn innovative approaches to addressing this issue and, in turn, save over 70 million youths from going without quality education. As a Research Associate, I am currently working on a project in partnership with the Alberta Teachers Association, ASEBP, and Northwest Territories Teachers Association to investigate critical issues within the field of education, with a specific focus on the challenges educators face regarding burnout. 

This enables me to understand the problem as I continue to work with my team to provide solutions.

Building mobile learning spaces. I have already begun this novel solution to the challenges we currently face in education in collaboration with my friend, who is a Ph.D. student at Kings College London. We started Street2School to find solutions to educational challenges in Nigeria. Our solutions can be found at thestreet2school.org. We pride ourselves on being the first indigenous innovators of the first mobile school in Nigeria. Street2School’s solution provides an innovative infusion of technology and creates sustainable avenues that enable children to have access to quality education at their convenience, reducing the alarming rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria, which is around 20 million (Unesco, 2022).

To date, Street2School has conducted a variety of research and studies aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of our solution in addressing the educational challenges faced by vulnerable children in Nigeria. Our research efforts can be categorized into foundational research, formative research, and summative research.

Foundational Research:
Street2School has conducted extensive literature reviews and desktop research to understand the root causes and magnitude of the education gap between socioeconomic classes in Nigeria. Our team has analyzed reports from reputable organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and UNICEF to gather statistics and insights into the current state of education in the country. This foundational research has provided us with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable children and informed the design of our intervention.

Formative Research:
To inform the development and implementation of our mobile learning spaces, Street2School has conducted feasibility studies, case studies, and user interviews within target communities. These studies have allowed us to assess the practicality and acceptability of our solution among stakeholders, including children, parents, educators, and community leaders. Through usability studies and process evaluations, we have refined our approach to ensure that our mobile schools meet the unique needs and preferences of the communities we serve.

Summative Research:
Street2School is committed to evaluating the impact of our intervention through rigorous summative research. While our mobile learning spaces are still in the construction phase, we have plans to conduct impact evaluations using various methodologies, including correlational studies and quasi-experimental designs. These evaluations will assess the effectiveness of our solution in improving access to education, increasing school attendance rates, and enhancing learning outcomes among vulnerable children. Additionally, we aim to conduct randomized control studies in the future to provide robust evidence of our intervention's impact.

Street2School aims to build a strong evidence base demonstrating the effectiveness of our solution in addressing the educational needs of vulnerable children in Nigeria.

The data collected from our research and studies have provided valuable insights into the effectiveness and potential impact of our solution in addressing the educational challenges faced by vulnerable children in Nigeria. Below is how our research findings have informed our work moving forward:

1. Understanding Root Causes: Our research has revealed that economic hindrances, insecurity, socio-cultural norms, and insufficient infrastructure are the major reasons children in Nigeria do not attend school. Armed with this understanding, we have tailored our solution to directly address these barriers. By providing mobile learning spaces, we aim to make education more accessible to vulnerable children, regardless of their economic status, while also addressing safety concerns related to insecurity and ensuring cultural sensitivity in our approach.

2. Community Engagement and Participation: Through user interviews and community consultations, we have gained insights into the specific needs and preferences of the communities we serve. This has informed our approach to community engagement, emphasizing collaboration and partnership with local stakeholders. By involving community members in the design and implementation of our mobile schools, we ensure that our solution is culturally relevant, responsive to community needs, and well-integrated into the local context.

3. Tailored Solutions: Our research has highlighted the diversity of educational needs within target communities, including children learning English as a second language and communities with non-English-speaking populations. To address these challenges, we have designed our mobile learning spaces to be flexible and adaptable, allowing us to customize our educational programs and materials to meet the specific needs of each community. Additionally, by providing daily lunch packs and logistics support, we ensure that children have access to the resources they need to fully participate in the learning process.

4. Sustainability and Self-sufficiency: Research findings have underscored the importance of sustainability in our intervention. We have incorporated features such as solar power generation and water collection/filtration systems into the design of our mobile schools to reduce reliance on external resources and minimize environmental impact. By promoting self-sufficiency, we aim to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of our intervention, empowering communities to maintain and manage their mobile learning spaces independently.

5. Continuous Improvement: Our research-driven approach emphasizes continuous learning and improvement. By regularly collecting feedback from stakeholders and conducting process evaluations, we identify areas for refinement and optimization in our intervention. This iterative approach ensures that we remain responsive to evolving community needs and challenges, enabling us to adapt our strategies and interventions accordingly.

Street2School recognizes the critical importance of strengthening the evidence base of our solution to ensure its effectiveness and maximize impact. Despite our dedication to research and evaluation, there are several areas where our organization needs to bolster the evidence base of our intervention:

1. Impact Evaluation: While we have conducted foundational and formative research to inform the design and implementation of our mobile learning spaces, we recognize the need for rigorous impact evaluations to assess the effectiveness of our solution in achieving its intended outcomes. Currently, we lack robust data on the long-term educational outcomes of children who have participated in our programs. Conducting impact evaluations will provide us with empirical evidence of our intervention's impact on school attendance, learning outcomes, and socio-economic empowerment, thus validating our approach and informing future programmatic decisions.

2. Sustainability and Scalability: As we seek to scale our intervention to reach more underserved communities, it is essential to strengthen the evidence base around the sustainability and scalability of our solution. While our mobile learning spaces are designed to be self-sufficient and adaptable, we need empirical evidence to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of these features in real-world settings. By engaging in research-driven insights, we can identify best practices and strategies for scaling our intervention sustainably while maintaining fidelity to our mission and values.

3. Community Engagement and Partnership: Strengthening the evidence base of our solution also involves deepening our understanding of community engagement and partnership models. While we have emphasized community involvement in the design and implementation of our programs, there is a need for empirical research to evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches in fostering community ownership, empowerment, and sustainability. By systematically documenting and analyzing our community engagement strategies, we can identify key drivers of success and areas for improvement, thus enhancing the impact and sustainability of our interventions.

4. Adaptability and Innovation: Our solution is designed to be adaptable and responsive to the evolving needs and challenges of the communities we serve. Strengthening the evidence base of our solution involves continuous innovation and learning to ensure that our programs remain relevant, effective, and impactful in the face of changing circumstances. By engaging in research-driven insights, we can identify emerging trends, innovative practices, and evidence-based interventions that can inform and enhance our work.

Now is the right time for Street2School to engage in a LEAP Project because it provides an invaluable opportunity to accelerate our impact through research-driven insights. By partnering with researchers and social entrepreneurs, we can strengthen the evidence base of our solution, validate our approach, and identify opportunities for innovation and scalability. Through the LEAP Project, we can leverage our collective expertise and resources to address critical research questions, generate actionable insights, and drive positive change in the field of education for vulnerable children in Abuja, Nigeria.

1. What is the long-term impact of our mobile learning spaces on school attendance, academic performance, and socio-economic empowerment among vulnerable children in Sub-Saharan Africa?

2. How effective are our community engagement and partnership models in fostering community ownership, empowerment, and sustainability of our interventions?

3. What are the key drivers of success and barriers to scalability and sustainability of our mobile learning spaces, and how can we optimize our intervention to maximize impact in underserved communities?

The types of research/studies that will help answer our stated questions include:

1. Summative Research (Impact Evaluations): Impact evaluations are crucial for assessing the long-term impact of our mobile learning spaces on school attendance, academic performance, and socio-economic empowerment among vulnerable children. By conducting rigorous impact evaluations, we can measure the effectiveness of our intervention in achieving its intended outcomes and determine the extent to which our programs contribute to positive changes in the lives of children. The desired output of the LEAP Project sprint would be detailed study designs for impact evaluations, including methodologies, data collection tools, and analysis plans. Additionally, we would seek recommendations for establishing baseline data and selecting appropriate comparison groups to ensure the validity and reliability of our findings.

2. Formative Research (Community Engagement and Partnership Models): Formative research is essential for understanding the effectiveness of our community engagement and partnership models in fostering community ownership, empowerment, and sustainability of our interventions. Through user interviews, case studies, and process evaluations, we can gather insights into the strengths and weaknesses of our current approaches and identify opportunities for improvement. The desired output of the LEAP Project sprint would be strategies and frameworks for enhancing community engagement and partnership models, including recommendations for building trust, fostering collaboration, and promoting sustainability. Additionally, we would seek guidance on monitoring and evaluation tools to assess the impact of our community engagement efforts and track progress over time.

These outputs would inform our approach to program design, implementation, and evaluation, enabling us to enhance the impact and sustainability of our mobile learning spaces for vulnerable children in Abuja, Nigeria.

Following the conclusion of the LEAP Project sprint and the receipt of the outputs, Street2School will take proactive steps to put these valuable insights into action. Here's how we plan to leverage the outputs:

1. Implementation of Impact Evaluations: We will prioritize the implementation of impact evaluations to assess the long-term effectiveness of our mobile learning spaces. Utilizing the detailed study designs and methodologies provided by the LEAP Project, we will work with our team and local partners to collect baseline data, implement data collection protocols, and analyze outcomes. The findings from these evaluations will inform our programmatic decisions, allowing us to refine our intervention strategies, allocate resources effectively, and demonstrate the impact of our work to stakeholders, including donors, partners, and communities.

2. Refinement of Community Engagement and Partnership Models: We will incorporate the strategies and frameworks developed during the LEAP Project sprint to enhance our community engagement and partnership models. This includes implementing recommendations for building trust, fostering collaboration, and promoting sustainability within target communities. We will actively engage with community members, local leaders, and stakeholders to co-design and co-implement initiatives that empower communities to take ownership of their education systems. By strengthening our community partnerships, we aim to create sustainable solutions that are responsive to local needs and priorities.

3. Capacity Building and Training: Street2School will invest in capacity building and training initiatives to equip our team and local partners with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively implement the recommendations generated from the LEAP Project. This may include organizing workshops, trainings, and mentoring sessions on topics such as research methodologies, data collection techniques, and community engagement strategies. By building the capacity of our team and partners, we ensure that they are equipped to implement evidence-based practices and drive positive change within their communities.

4. Advocacy and Knowledge Sharing: We will leverage the findings and recommendations from the LEAP Project to advocate for policy change and resource allocation in support of education for vulnerable children. Through targeted advocacy campaigns, we will engage policymakers, government officials, and other key stakeholders to prioritize education funding, improve infrastructure, and address systemic barriers to access and quality education. Additionally, we will actively share our research findings and best practices through publications, presentations, and conferences to contribute to the broader knowledge base and promote learning and innovation within the field of education development.

The desired long-term outcomes of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint for both Street2School and our solution encompass a range of impactful changes that contribute to our overarching mission of empowering vulnerable children through education.

For Street2School:

1. Enhanced Program Effectiveness: One of the primary long-term outcomes for our organization is the enhancement of program effectiveness through evidence-based insights generated during the LEAP Project sprint. By implementing rigorous impact evaluations and refining our community engagement and partnership models, we aim to strengthen the effectiveness of our interventions in improving access to education, increasing school attendance rates, and enhancing learning outcomes among vulnerable children.

2. Increased Organizational Capacity: The LEAP Project sprint presents an opportunity for capacity building within our organization, enabling us to enhance our research and evaluation capabilities, as well as our programmatic expertise. By investing in training and skill development initiatives, we aim to build a strong foundation for ongoing learning and improvement, positioning Street2School as a leader in the field of education development and social impact.

3. Expanded Network and Partnerships: Engaging in the LEAP Project allows us to establish valuable connections and partnerships with researchers, social entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders working in the education sector. These relationships provide opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and resource mobilization, ultimately enhancing our capacity to scale our impact and reach more underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America.

For our Solution:

1. Improved Program Design and Implementation: The insights and recommendations generated from the LEAP Project sprint will inform the design and implementation of our mobile learning spaces, ensuring that they are responsive to the unique needs and priorities of the communities we serve. By incorporating evidence-based practices and innovative approaches, we aim to create programs that are more effective, sustainable, and impactful in addressing the educational challenges faced by vulnerable children.

2. Enhanced Sustainability and Scalability: Strengthening the evidence base of our solution enables us to enhance its sustainability and scalability over the long term. By identifying key drivers of success and barriers to scalability, we can optimize our intervention to maximize impact while minimizing resource constraints. Additionally, by promoting self-sufficiency and community ownership, we aim to create programs that can be replicated and scaled across diverse contexts, reaching more children and communities in need.

3. Increased Advocacy and Influence: We look forward to the LEAP Project sprint providing us with a platform to advocate for policy change and resource allocation in support of education for vulnerable children.