Laying the Foundation for Change in Pasepa and Zhiko

Pasepa and Zhikco are small, close-knit villages in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja, surrounded by tall hills and rough highlands. Farming is the main way people make a living in these communities. Nearly every family grows food crops like maize, yams, and beans on small plots of land.  

The biggest struggle for the community is how hard it is to reach the towns. There are no proper roads leading to Pasepa. To get to larger towns, people either walk long distances or use motorcycles, which are expensive and can be difficult to use on rough trails. With rising costs for fuel and basic goods, many families are now finding it even harder to afford these trips, which limits their ability to sell their produce or buy things they need. Despite these challenges, Pasepa’s residents have a strong sense of community, rallying around shared needs.  

For years the communities held on to a dream of creating a Junior Secondary School that would bring education closer to home for their children. They wrote countless letters to the government offices and received promises, but there was no progress as the promises were never fulfilled, until recently when Miracle acted to give this dream new life.   

In August, as part of the International Youth Day celebrations, ActionAid Nigeria partnered with the Center for Information and Technology Development (CITAD) to host a three-day training in Dakwa Community, Abuja. Youth from Pasepa, Lelegwari, Jiwa, and Dakwa gathered to learn digital skills for advocacy. Miracle was one of them. 

He learned scriptwriting, video editing, and content creation, skills used to amplify community issues, push for change and hold government accountable. 

For Miracle, the struggle for education in Pasepa and Zhiko wasn’t a new story. He had grown up watching children in his community walk nearly three hours each day to reach the nearest secondary school across the state border. The journey was always exhausting, as it was risky, exposing students to potential harm.  

When Miracle returned from the three days training, he was so inspired and motivated to make a change in his community. He arranged for a meeting with the community leaders to discuss his new skills and how their support can possibly lead to the change they want to see, the community’s need for a Secondary school. Besides the school issue, he highlighted the community’s healthcare crisis, as Zhiko’s Primary Health Centre lacked full-time staff and essential equipment, leaving families without reliable medical care nearby. 

During this meeting, Alhaji Muhammad, the chief of the community, informed Miracle about an existing four-man committee already dedicated to these issues. Recognizing Miracle’s passion and skills, they invited him to join, expanding the committee to five members. Together, they began approaching local government officials, including the Byazhin Ward Councilor and Hon. Mairo. Miracle passionately described the children’s struggles, stressing the need for an accessible school to safeguard their wellbeing. The Councilor, moved by the urgency, pledged an initial sum to support the school. 

Despite waiting for further assistance, the community decided to take action.  

During one of the town meetings, they agreed to contribute a thousand naira from each family towards the initial cost of establishing a Junior Secondary School. With these funds, they purchased textbooks and temporarily repurposed a three-room building at Zhiko LEA Primary School into classrooms. The school opened on October 2, 2024, and welcomed 20 students across Junior Secondary schools 1 and 2. 

However, the real project, building a permanent school, had just begun.  

Volunteer teachers from the community accepted to teach in the school for a small stipend, realised from the registration fees paid by students during registration.  

Following this achievement, the community decided to kick off the building project by starting the foundation, a thorough sense of community organising. Although they have yet to lay bricks, the foundation symbolizes their commitment. 

Now, Miracle and the committee are actively seeking further support from government leaders, local organisations, and well-wishers' schools to continue building the school’s permanent site. They’re planning a foundation-laying ceremony to attract additional sponsors, with dreams of transforming the dug foundation into walls and secure classrooms. 

Miracle’s journey shows the power of youth-driven advocacy and a community’s resilience.