Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative, BBYDI

EXCITING NEWS, KEMI IS LIVE 👏🏾🥰 Yesterday at the Transcorp Hilton, with support from @francediplo, we did something truly remarkable and feel very pumped about it. We gathered policy shapers, global leaders, civil society executives, and activists from various leading organisations around the West and Central Africa for the launch of “Kemi” - a survival-centred, multilingual AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot co-created by survivors of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (#TFGBV). Earlier this year, we conducted a multicountry online survey across six West and Central African countries to understand the awareness of #TFGBV, lived experiences, and barriers to seeking support. Analysis of the survey revealed that while 92% of the over 1,100 respondents experienced #TFGBV, including online harassment and non-consensual image sharing, only less than half of this number disclosed or reported these incidents. Their reasons? Stigma, fear of blame, and a lack of trust in available reporting or support systems which necessitated @hersafespace25 - the first AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot designed to address identified gaps in reporting and support for survivors of #TFGBV in West and Central Africa The event was also an opportune time to shed greater light on the prevalence of #TFGBV in Africa, as we launched other knowledge products, including the Methodological Report on the #TFGBV Database Development in West and Central Africa which provides broader perspectives on the rise of #TFGBV in Africa and recommends collective actions that can be taken to prevent it. Other knowledge products include; Staying Safe With Tao - a Guide Book on Becoming a Digital Champion; Power and Influence in Addressing #TFGBV in Nigeria; HerSafeSpace - Digital Safety Manual; and #TFGBV in Nigeria - Mapping Harms, Gaps and Pathways to Justice  The highlight of the event was the inauguration of the Male Allyship Programme - a platform for a more coordinated approach where even the boy child is empowered with knowledge and resources to, through dialogue, education, and action, champion a safer digital space by eradicating all forms of Gender-Based Violence through speaking up, showing up, and standing against #TFGBV. This programme matters because research shows that over 60% of online abuse victims are women. The Allyship Programme stands tall to change this narrative - not just to balance the data, but to eradicate all forms of violence against persons. We were thrilled to inaugurate global leaders (in no particular order): @jayegaskia, a public affairs and political analyst; @NoelAlumona, a special education expert and founder of @boyschampionsNG; @rotexonline, the Executive Director of @youthhubafrica; Mac Imoni Amarere, board member at @ActionAid; @Husseini_abdul, the Director of Pan-African and New Power Advocacy Office at @Save_AU_Liaison; Mustapha Sheu, a development expert; @HamzyCode, the CEO of @Connected_dev and co-founder of @4lowthemoney; @Nwankpa_A, the acting Director General of @SMYFoundation and @Funsho_Olajide, the founder of Disability Not a Barrier Initiative into the Allyship. These experts bring years of experience in creating sustainable pathways to development, and we are very proud of the next steps we will take together from here. KEMI is live, share this post and let more people access Kemí. – at Abuja, Nigeria

₦5,000 just to attend an event? Ireyimika was already calculating what she'd spend it on. 😂 Then the registration form started asking questions. During election campaigns, you may come across messages promising payments, requesting registration or directing people to unfamiliar websites. Some announcements may be genuine. Others may be misleading or designed to collect personal information. Before you click a link or fill out a form, check who published it and confirm the information through a reliable channel. And please, never share an OTP meant to authorise access to your account. Watch Ireyimika and Bukola investigate one suspicious message. What's the first thing you check before opening an unfamiliar registration link? #DigitalCitizenship #BeforeYouForward #OnlineSafety #BBYDI

A girl’s return to school should not depend on which head teacher she meets. During our recent advocacy visits, we met officials of the Kaduna State Ministry of Education to discuss a proposed re-entry circular: written instructions explaining how schools should support married girls, pregnant learners and young mothers to continue or return to education. We want the guidance to address the practical questions families and schools face, including how a girl applies to return, the documents she needs and the support available to help her stay. The Ministry expressed interest in working with us, and discussions on the proposed circular are continuing. The meeting also explored how BBYDI can help girls access suitable education programmes. We will identify girls who want to return, understand their education levels and circumstances, and engage their families where support is needed. Connecting this community work with clear guidance for schools would give families a more reliable way to navigate the return process. A girl asking to resume her education should receive consistent information and support, wherever she begins that conversation. We implement the Faith and Tradition for Girls’ Education Project with support from the Malala Fund. #FaithAndTraditionForGirlsEducation #HerRightToReturn #GirlsEducation #KadunaState #BBYDI

A little sweat, plenty of laughter, and a team that knows how to have fun! 💪🏽😄 This week's Tuesday Wellness session gave us another reason to swap our desks for some exercise, get moving and enjoy time together outside our usual work routines. At BBYDI, we know how demanding the work we do can be. Making time for our physical and mental well-being helps us stay healthy, connected and ready for the work ahead. We're grateful to the Southern African Trust for supporting these weekly sessions and helping us make staff well-being a regular part of our workplace culture. Can you tell we had fun? 📸💚 #TeamBBYDI #StaffWellbeing #WorkplaceWellness

Getting more girls out of school into classrooms and ensuring they stay there requires deliberate action, sustained investment and strong partnerships. A key focus of our engagement with the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission was the ring-fenced budget for girl-child retention under the Kaduna State Ministry of Education. The Commissioner, Mukthar Ahmed Monrovia, committed to having us participate in the state's Budget Review Committee and the Citizens' Budget Review scheduled for February 2027. This will provide an opportunity to track the ring-fenced budget and assess how allocated resources are being directed towards supporting girls' education. The proposed ring-fenced budget will help direct resources towards initiatives that support girls' enrolment, retention and completion of their education. It also reinforces the importance of backing policy commitments with adequate funding, accountability and measurable action. During our courtesy visit to the Commission, discussions also focused on strengthening strategic collaboration with the Kaduna State Government, with particular attention to inclusive education, school retention, policy alignment and targeted investments in the education of girls. The Commissioner further directed us to submit our proposed Memorandum of Understanding for review towards formalising the partnership and designated a focal person to facilitate coordination and follow-up on the collaboration. At BBYDI, we recognise that improving access to education requires more than policy commitments. It requires dedicated resources, institutional accountability and sustained action. We look forward to building on this engagement to advance educational opportunities for girls across Kaduna State. Read the Commission's report on our engagement: facebook.com/share/p/1JUA4TK… #FaithAndTraditionForGirlsEducation #GirlChildEducation #EducationFinancing #KadunaState #OutOfSchoolChildren

Our latest visits in Kaduna ended with a commitment from Hakimis that they will brief the district and village heads under their leadership on girls’ education and ask them to take the message into their communities. The engagements followed the advocacy visits we began in September. The traditional leaders we met welcomed the project and expressed their willingness to work with BBYDI. The conversations focused on preventing child marriage, keeping girls in school and supporting those who want to return after leaving. District and village heads can speak directly with parents and husbands when family resistance stands in a girl’s way. For a married girl, pregnant learner or young mother seeking to continue her education, that support can help her family reconsider a decision to keep her out of school. We are also inviting the leaders to join the proposed coalition of faith and traditional leaders for girls’ education and raise these issues at their regular council meetings. Their guidance will support BBYDI’s work to identify girls who want to return and connect them with suitable learning opportunities. The next step is to follow up on these commitments as the leaders begin their discussions with district and village heads. We implement the Faith and Tradition for Girls’ Education Project with support from the Malala Fund. #FaithAndTraditionForGirlsEducation #HerRightToReturn #GirlsEducation #KadunaState #BBYDI

A big milestone for BBYDI. We’re pleased to share that we have received a five-year, seven-figure BUILD grant from the Ford Foundation. This support gives us room to strengthen the organisation behind the work: our people, systems, leadership and long-term sustainability. We’re grateful for the trust and excited about what the next five years will make possible

Our work has grown. Now the institution behind it gets to grow stronger too. We are pleased to announce that Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has received a five-year, seven-figure BUILD grant from the Ford Foundation. Since our registration in 2018, BBYDI’s work has expanded across gender justice, digital rights, governance, climate, education and youth development. For us, this is not simply about becoming a bigger organisation. It is about becoming a stronger one. The BUILD support gives us room to invest in our people, systems, strategy, financial resilience, governance and long-term sustainability. It also supports an Organizational Mapping Tool process that will help us take stock of where we are, identify gaps and decide where strengthening should begin over the next five years. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation for investing in BBYDI’s next phase and in the institution behind the work. Read the full press statement.

A market levy goes up. The women who trade there had no say in it, and nowhere to take it. By the time they feel the decision, it’s already made. That gap, between the people who live with public decisions and the people who make them, is what The BAOBAB Project is for. With support from the Open Society Foundations, we’re running it over the next 30 months across North Central Nigeria. At its centre is the Street Parliament, a recurring community assembly where market women, artisans, transport workers, farmers, young people and persons with disabilities raise what matters to them and put it straight to the officials responsible. We’ll also run civic theatre, radio drama, leadership bootcamps, and a Democracy Champions Council of traditional and religious leaders. The approach is rooted here, in ways of deciding together that already exist across Nigeria, the village assembly in Igbo communities, Majalisa among Hausa communities, Ìpàdé in Yoruba communities. These sit alongside modern democratic institutions rather than replacing them, and they carry an older instinct, that people should have somewhere to gather, weigh what affects them, and answer for it together. We’re not working alone. BBYDI will sub-grant to three organisations, each bringing its own networks and expertise, the Nigeria Student Archive, Ark & Rainbow Development Foundation, and the Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators. We want more Nigerians to see themselves not only as voters every four years, but as people with a hand in the decisions their communities live with in between. We thank the Open Society Foundations for making it possible.

What would democracy look like if more people had a real say in the decisions that affect them? That question is at the centre of The BAOBAB Project: Reimagining Democracy and Leadership from the Grassroots, a 30-month initiative supported by the Open Society Foundations. The project will build on BBYDI’s work in civic participation, accountability and community engagement across North Central Nigeria. We’ll be working with young people, women, persons with disabilities, creatives, informal-sector actors, traditional and religious leaders, and other civic actors who are often left outside formal decision-making spaces. The work will also draw from Nigerian traditions of collective discussion and community decision-making, while creating practical spaces for people to raise issues, set priorities and engage those in public office. We’re grateful to the Open Society Foundations for supporting this work. Read the full press statement.

Election violence doesn't begin when voting starts. Threats against political supporters, attacks during rallies and violent disruptions of campaign activities can happen long before election day. As political campaigns gather momentum ahead of Nigeria's 2027 elections, people need to know how to document and report election-related incidents safely. That's why we're introducing EVIT, the Election Violence Incidence Tracker. Developed by Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), EVIT helps citizens submit information about election-related violence for review and verification. You don't have to wait until election day to learn how it works. Visit evit.ng to explore the platform and understand the reporting process. Remember: never put yourself at risk to collect evidence or make a report. #EVIT #ElectionIntegrity #DigitalCitizenship #BBYDI

Happy Birthday to our amazing Communications Intern, Betty Oku! 🎉 Thank you for your creativity, energy, and dedication to the Brain Builders family. Cheers to a new year of growth, wins, and beautiful moments! Help us wish Betty a Happy Birthday in the comments! 🎂❤️ #HappyBirthdayBetty #BrainBuilders #BBYDI #TeamBBYDI

We are live in Lagos! Today, stakeholders are coming together for the Strategic Dialogue Session (Town Hall) with Traditional and Religious Leaders under the project Strengthening Digital Integrity and Inclusive Participation for Nigeria 2027 Election. With the theme “From Silence to Safeguard: Faith, Tradition and Women’s Place in Nigeria’s Democracy,” the dialogue brings attention to the role of traditional and religious leaders in challenging gendered disinformation, addressing online gender-based violence, and creating safer spaces for women’s political participation. As Nigeria looks towards the 2027 elections, protecting women’s voices is a shared responsibility. Through dialogue and collective action, we can strengthen digital integrity and build a more inclusive democracy. #FromSilenceToSafeguard #FaithAndDemocracy #WomenInPolitics #JusticeAndEquality #Nigeria2027

What happens when faith, tradition and public discourse shape who gets heard and who gets silenced in our democracy? Today in Lagos, we bring these important conversations to the table at our Strategic Dialogue Session, exploring how to challenge gendered disinformation, protect women’s participation and build a more inclusive democratic space ahead of the 2027 elections. Join us as we move from silence to safeguards. #DigitalDemocracy #DigitalIntegrity #InclusiveParticipation #Nigeria2027

Join us tomorrow in Lagos for our Strategic Dialogue Session as we bring together female political aspirants, youth representatives and traditional councils to advance digital integrity and inclusive participation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Women’s participation in democracy should never come at the cost of their safety, dignity, or reputation. As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, gendered disinformation, online abuse, and political intimidation continue to threaten women’s voices and participation in public life. Tomorrow, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) and FactCheckAfrica, with support from CIVICUS under the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI), will convene traditional and religious leaders, female political aspirants, youth representatives, and other key stakeholders for a strategic dialogue on protecting women’s voices and strengthening digital integrity. Venue: Lagos, Nigeria Date: October 29, 2026 Theme: From Silence to Safeguard: Faith, Tradition and Women’s Place in Nigeria’s Democracy. Together, we can work towards a democracy where women can participate freely, safely, and meaningfully. #FromSilenceToSafeguard #FaithAndDemocracy #WomenInPolitics #DigitalIntegrity #Nigeria2027

Who says Tuesdays have to be all about meetings, deadlines and deliverables? 💪🏽 At BBYDI, we’re making time to move, sweat, laugh and connect as a team! Every Tuesday, our staff come together for a wellness session that gives everyone a chance to step away from their desks, stay active and recharge. We believe that caring for the people doing the work is just as important as the work itself. These sessions are one of the ways we're building a healthier, happier and more supportive workplace. A big thank you to the Southern African Trust for supporting this initiative and helping us prioritise staff well-being. Here are a few moments from our Tuesday wellness sessions! 💚 #StaffWellbeing #WorkplaceWellness #TeamBBYDI

A young person can hold a political title, attend policy meetings and still have no authority over what gets decided. At the West Africa Youth Democracy Conference in Dakar, a youth parliamentarian described living with that contradiction. His experience frames a new article by our Communications Director, @sannialausaissa. “A Movement Is More Than a Moment” examines what must happen after young people gain access to political spaces. Drawing from the conference, the Not Too Young To Run campaign and a lab on technology and civic participation, the article explores how young people can turn their numbers, relationships and public reach into political influence. For BBYDI, this question connects directly to our work in civic education, youth engagement and digital inclusion. Informing young people is only part of the task. They also need practical routes to shape policies, budgets and public decisions. We appreciate the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund for supporting Sanni’s participation and giving BBYDI the opportunity to contribute to this regional conversation. Read the full article on Medium: medium.com/@brainbuildersint… #YouthParticipation #PoliticalEducation #Democracy #NYFF #BBYDI

Today, we celebrate our Global Director, Abideen Olasupo. This is an opportunity to celebrate not just another year of your life, but also the leadership, commitment and vision you bring to Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative. Thank you for leading the team, pushing us to do better and staying committed to the work we do and the impact we hope to make. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow under your leadership. As you begin another year, we wish you good health, greater accomplishments, renewed strength and many more reasons to celebrate. Happy birthday, Sir! 🥳 With warm wishes from all of us at BBYDI. ❤️