SHADE-IN

My Story and Sexuality Sexuality can be a tricky subject to navigate, especially when you’re young and still figuring out who you are. But one thing I’ve learned through my own journey is that your sexuality is yours to define, and there’s no shame in it—no matter what it looks like or the world's views. This is my story and I hope it inspires you. Growing up, I had a close friend named Franca. We were very close and everyone knew us.  Then, I was more often attracted to girls at different times and we could be so close. Today, a lot of young people get attracted to persons of different sexual orientation - a girl can get attracted to a girl, a boy to a boy, a girl to a boy and vice versa. There is nothing wrong with this on a platonic basis. Child This has been falsely interpreted as them having a different sexual orientation from whom their Maker made them, which informs their gender identity - gay, lesbian and every other identity. This has led to other forms of sexual orientati...

AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation The International Day of Education is a reminder of education’s transformative power in building a sustainable and equitable future. In 2025, this day takes on a new layer of significance as we witness the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into every corner of our lives, especially education. While AI offers groundbreaking opportunities, it also raises critical questions: how do we preserve human agency, creativity, and ethics in a world increasingly shaped by automation?   The Transformative Potential of AI in Education   AI has unlocked possibilities that were once unimaginable. Personalized learning platforms now cater to individual needs, helping students progress at their own pace. AI-powered tools assist teachers by automating administrative tasks, freeing them to focus on mentorship and student engagement. In underserved communities, AI has expanded access to education by provid...

  The youth are so creative. And that's why giving them the chance for education is important. Digitalizing education creates equal opportunity for all youth regardless of their colour, race, tribe, tongue, status, gender, background . The government of Nigeria should create innovative solutions towards strategic digitalization of education for sustainable development.  At Saving Hand Development Initiative (SHADE-IN), we value the education of every young person. Happy international Youth Day.

This year's international day of education focuses on Learning for Lasting Peace with hashtag #LeadingSDG4, by emphasising the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech. According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), "Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility." If it is a public responsibility, then it's definitely the Government's responsibility as well. UNESCO also cited that "without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. Furthermore, UNESCO stated that, "Today, 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults are illiterate. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. It's time to transform education." For ove...

Reported by Bliss Ojeruse, Executive Director, Saving Hand Development Initiative (SHADE-IN) Introduction The communiqué was drafted by a 3-persons committee including Newton Otsemaye, British Council State Coordinator, Edo State, Temple and Omotunde Clement. Saving Hand Development Initiative (SHADE-IN) was represented at the Conference by Bliss Ojeruse, Executive Director, who participated virtually. Background   Against the backdrop of the resolution reached at the inaugural national conference held in September 2022, the steering committee on civil society regulatory environment was saddled with the task of working closely with development partners to institutionalise the national civil society conference as an annual event to sustain and track progress made in improving the civic society operational environment in Nigeria.  To drive this initiative that would facilitate continuous engagement within the regulators and civic actors, beyond donors' intervention, the CSO Acco...

The statistics on the violation of girls' rights across the globe is alarming. While one may argue that the attention on the girl child is becoming discriminatory against the boy child, the data available show that the girl child is still more deprived and more at risk than her male counterparts. The focus for this year's International Day of the Girl is "Invest In Girls' Rights: Our Leadership and Well-being." It is important to invest in girls' rights. This way, they can develop the skills to keep them confident and safe. According to the data from United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF),  📍Nearly 1 in 5 girls are still not completing lower-secondary and nearly 4 in 10 girls are not completing upper-secondary school today. And in certain regions, the numbers are even more dismal. Around 90 per cent of adolescent girls and young women do not use the internet in low-income countries, while their male peers are twice as likely to be...