Onelife Initiative Opens New Ibadan Office, Unveils Standing School Project

The Onelife Initiative for Human Development has opened a new office in Bodija, Ibadan, as part of efforts to strengthen its programmes in youth development, education, sexual and reproductive health, agriculture and civic engagement.

The office was officially opened on Friday, October 30, 2026, at an event attended by representatives of government agencies and civil society organisations.

A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of Onelife Initiative’s new Standing School project, designed to improve literacy and numeracy among children, particularly those who combine schooling with street trading and other activities to support their families.

Speaking at the opening, the Executive Director of Onelife Initiative, Sola Fagorusi, described the new facility as an important milestone in the organisation’s 10-year journey of working with young people and adolescents.

He said securing a permanent office in Oyo State would improve the organisation’s sustainability by reducing the recurring cost of office rent, one of the major expenses facing non-governmental organisations.

According to him, the facility, which has a reception, offices for staff and interns, a digital studio and a conference room, would provide room for collaboration and strengthen the organisation’s operations.

Fagorusi said Onelife Initiative had developed a strategic plan for 2026 to 2030 to guide its programmes over the next five years.

He described the organisation’s motto as “Young People, Excellence and Linkages”, explaining that its mission was to connect young people with the information, services and resources they need to thrive and contribute to building a resilient society.

He identified its four major areas of focus as inclusive education; sexual and reproductive health and rights; agribusiness and enterprise development; and governance and civic engagement.

On the newly unveiled Standing School project, Fagorusi explained that the initiative would provide informal learning opportunities for children who often spend time at viewing centres, television repair shops and other community spaces.

He said the organisation intended to work with operators of such centres to make learning materials available to children who gather there, using digital resources to teach basic literacy and numeracy.

Fagorusi noted that some children returned from school only to engage in street trading because their parents needed their support, adding that the project was designed to ensure such circumstances did not deprive them of opportunities to learn.

He said the programme would initially focus on Oyo State, Ekiti and Akwa Ibom, with lessons aimed at improving children’s reading, spoken English and basic arithmetic skills.

The Executive Director disclosed that the organisation was seeking support from members of the public to sustain the initiative, with ₦30,000 expected to cover the learning journey of one child.

He said the appeal marked the first time the organisation was directly asking members of the public to donate to its work, having previously relied largely on responses to funding proposals.

Beyond education, Fagorusi said the organisation was also involved in agribusiness, including a three-acre bell pepper farm in Omi-Adio, Oyo State.

He added that the organisation had offices in Ibadan, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, and Ikole-Ekiti, while its programmes had reached about 22 states across the country.

According to him, the new facility also includes a media production space that would enable the organisation to produce videos and other digital materials to extend its reach beyond the physical locations where it operates.

He said the office would also be made available to other non-governmental organisations for meetings and collaborative activities at affordable rates.

In their goodwill messages, representatives of government agencies and civil society organisations commended Onelife Initiative for its contributions to youth development and its investment in a permanent operational base.

Bello Adedokun of the Creative Actors Initiative for Development (CAID) described the facility as a significant project, particularly for young people and schoolgirls, noting that many non-governmental organisations in Ibadan did not have similar facilities.

Comrade Ola Peters Kayode, representing the Oyo State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), said the organisation’s work aligned with youth and human capital development.

A representative of the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) described the facility as a masterpiece and called on government to pay greater attention to harnessing the talents of young people.

The representative also expressed the corps’ readiness to partner with Onelife Initiative.

A representative of the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning described the opening as a milestone for both the organisation and the state’s development agenda, stressing that sustainable development required collaboration among government, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups.

The representative also called for greater attention to social protection, poverty reduction and social inclusion, particularly for young people, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

Muyiwa Oladoja, representing the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, commended Onelife Initiative for its work over the past decade, noting that youth development was not the responsibility of government alone. He urged other non-governmental organisations to emulate its efforts.

The Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) also welcomed Onelife Initiative’s involvement in agriculture, highlighting the importance of engaging young people in farming as part of efforts to improve food security. The agency encouraged mechanised agriculture and backyard farming.

Figures presented by Onelife Initiative at the event showed that its programmes had reached thousands of young people, women, farmers and other beneficiaries.

The organisation reported that 6,487 in-school adolescents had received age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education, while 12,640 adolescents and young persons had been reached through community-level programmes.

It also said 67,714 girls and women had been directly linked to sexual and reproductive health services, while 128 healthcare providers had received training across Oyo, Ekiti and Akwa Ibom states.

In agriculture, the organisation reported establishing 27.5 acres of learning and pilot plots and mobilising 3,955 smallholder farmers for cassava production in Ekiti State, including 1,534 women and 1,105 young people.

It further disclosed that 1,919 horticultural farmers had received training in good agronomic practices and agricultural innovations, while 918 farmers had been equipped to tackle aflatoxin contamination in maize fields.

Other figures presented included 37 completed projects, 36 radio drama episodes produced in Yoruba and English, an estimated 8.6 million people reached through radio and television, and 289 staff members, volunteers, interns and externs engaged over the years.

The organisation also reported developing 11 election briefs, submitting 15 Freedom of Information requests to government ministries, departments and agencies, and instituting five reproductive justice cases at the ECOWAS Court and High Courts.