Breaking down Barriers: How Beyond the Classroom Foundation is changing the Face of Education

Malcolm X famously stated, "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." This statement emphasizes the importance of education for tomorrow’s leaders and underscores the need for due attention to this sector. It is no exaggeration to say by doing so; a parent is making a substantial contribution to the wellbeing of society as a whole. It is, by extension, an investment in the future of the world too.

What then happens when for example, the burst of population outweighs the government's efforts or the budget allocated is insufficient and cannot match the needs in this sector, and families are just unable to, due to lack of resources, send their wards to school?

A large number of kids, and in the case of Nigeria, according to UNICEF's report in May 2022, 18.5 million are out of school children, dependent on the benevolence of corporate organizations and the goodwill of individuals. One of such NGOs is Beyond the Classroom Foundation, a volunteer-driven non-profit committed to eliminating the bare minimum obstacles that prevent children in underserved communities from accessing, completing, and thriving in their education..

This non-profit amongst many things, offers support to single mothers, widows, vulnerable families, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The Responsible Citizen Magazine caught up with Raquel Daniels, who is the Founder, to get some insight on some of the work they have done since this Abuja-based non-profit was founded in 2011.

1. How does Beyond the Classroom Foundation select the children and families they support, are there specific criteria or eligibility requirements?

Yes, Beyond the Classroom Foundation has specific criteria, or you could call it eligibility requirements for selecting the children and families we support. As an organization, we prioritize children and families who are vulnerable or at risk, such as those living in extreme poverty, experiencing homelessness, or being affected by natural disasters or conflicts such as the Boko Haram insurgency. Looking at these criteria, you will see that these children and families fall below a certain income level. They are people who do not have access to basic needs such as food, shelter, and health care.

We also consider the age of the children. Our back-toschool program is focused on supporting children who are under the age of 16 and in primary school, especially those who are not enrolled in school or who are at risk of dropping out. For our scholarship scheme, we have a referral system in place where our volunteers, community leaders, or other organizations refer eligible children and families to us. Overall, we prioritize children and families living in specific geographic locations that are underserved or difficult to reach.

2. Your response implies that your focus is solely primary school kids, yes?

Yes, as I just mentioned, our back-to-school program is focused on supporting children who are under the age of 16 and in primary school, especially those who are not enrolled in school or who are at risk of dropping out. However, we have other programs that are targeted at adolescent boys and girls in Junior secondary schools.

3. What would you consider the impact of the organization's work so far, any success story you wish to share?

We have been in existence for over 12 years and in that timeframe, we have worked with children in different states in Nigeria through several projects that have significantly improved the lives of children in the country, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. For example, we have implemented programs focused on education, menstrual health, child safety, and hygiene. Through these programs, we have increased school enrollment and completion rates, and provided children with access to essential services and opportunities for children who have no access to them.

Through the Back to School Program, we have supported over 50,000 children in government schools with educational materials, and free storybooks and currently have over 150 children in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Abuja, enrolled in school. Our menstrual hygiene program for adolescent girls has impacted over 20,000 girls.

One success story is the story of Aminu, a 7-year-old boy who was born in the IDP camp in Abuja. His parents could not afford to send him to school, and even though the government school close to them is tuition-free, they didn’t have the funds to pay for other supplies and uniforms that Aminu needed to start school.

Through Beyond the Classroom Foundation, Aminu was enrolled in our program and resumed his studies at Karonmajigi Primary School in Abuja. He is one of the over 150 children currently enrolled in our Back to School program. This is just one example of how the foundation has made a significant difference in the lives of the children we serve through education.

4. How does the organization ensure the sustainability of its programs? Are there plans in place to expand and reach more underserved communities in the future?

That’s a two-in-one question, so I will start with the first. For us at Beyond the Classroom Foundation, ensuring the sustainability of our programs is a critical aspect of the work we do and to ensure the long-term success of these programs, we currently employ a few strategies. First of which is focusing on local ownership and participation of the parents. When we design a project, we don’t do that in isolation, we first build the capacity of local communities to take ownership of and participate in the programs. We believe that by engaging community members in program design, implementation, and monitoring, it ensures that programs are tailored to the specific needs and contexts of the communities we serve. This has significantly increased the likelihood of our program's sustainability because of the community ownership and support.

Another strategy is to align our work with a social enterprise that supports our work financially and works hand in hand with us to run our projects. Because a social enterprise like Bambini Africa Edutainment can sell products and generate income, which we are unable to as a charity, we leverage on that alignment for support of free books and donations from book sales to keep our programs running.

Finally, we have developed a fundraising strategy that allows monthly donations from our volunteers and supporters. This strategy ensures that their programs are adequately resourced over the long term with monthly donations, so even if we do not fundraise, we have donations from pledges coming in every month. By implementing these few strategies, we have ensured the sustainability of our programs and continued to make a positive impact in the lives of children and communities over the long term.

To your second question; yes, we have the plan to expand but our focus is more on deepening our impact than spreading into new schools.

5. Can you describe some of the challenges the foundation has faced in carrying out its work? How does the organization address these challenges? Working in the development space can be incredibly rewarding, but it is not without its challenges. As an organization, we face several challenges daily on this job. These challenges are not unique to us but are common to many who work in this field. One of the biggest challenges we face is securing funding. Like many other non-profits, we rely on grants, donations, and other forms of financial support to carry out our work, and securing these funds can be a difficult and time-consuming process. From writing compelling grant proposals and navigating complex funding landscapes to building relationships with donors and convincing them of our organization’s worth, securing funding is a crucial and often challenging part of our work.

Another challenge we face is how to measure and communicate our impact to donors, stakeholders, and the public. This can be particularly challenging because the impact of some of our projects is not immediately apparent, and for some, the results may take time to materialize. As the lead person in the organization, I also face challenges in attracting and retaining talented and dedicated staff. Due to limited resources, we are often not able to offer the same level of compensation and benefits as for-profit organizations or even larger non-profits. This has made it difficult to attract and retain top-quality staff, who may be more attracted to the higher salaries and better benefits offered by other organizations.

Despite these challenges, there is also great fulfilment in working in the non-profit space. When you see the impact, your work is having on the world, when you build relationships with those you serve, and when you feel the power of collective action, it all becomes worth it.

6. How can individuals and organizations support Beyond the Classroom Foundation and its mission? Are there specific ways people can get involved or donate to the cause?

Individuals and organizations can support us by making financial donations to support any of our programs. The donations can be made online through our website www. btheclassroom.org or through funding a campaign by sending an email to btheclassroom@gmail.com

Another way to support us is through volunteering. This involves participating in upcoming events, providing expertise or technical support, or working on a specific project or program with us and raising awareness about our mission and programs online. This is very important in this social media era as sharing information about us on social media, or joining a campaign to raise awareness about one of our causes can help us attract more donors.

We also accept donations of goods or services, such as office equipment, educational materials, or legal or accounting services. I like to say, “If you don’t have money or time, you can donate your goods or services to us.” Overall, there are several ways people can support the work we do in Nigeria.

In closing, Beyond the Classroom Foundation is helping to break down barriers in education and providing more opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to succeed. Through their scholarships, mentorship programs and other initiatives, Beyond the Classroom Foundation is helping to level the playing field for students who may not otherwise have access to the resources and support they need to reach their full potential. The Foundation is helping to create a brighter future for all students.