AREAi Receives UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy in China for FastTrack!

Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi – Director of Digital Communications, AREAi on stage receiving the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy for AREAi’s FastTrack Programme in Qufu Jining, Shandong Province, China.

As a recipient of the 2024 Confucius Literary Prize, we honored the invitation from the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO to attend the China International Confucius Cultural Festival and Award Ceremony of the 19th “UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy” themed – Dialogue with Confucius: Mutual Learning Among Civilizations. At this ceremony, we were ably represented in China by our Director of Digital Communications, Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi, who received the Literacy Award on our behalf.

*Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi – Director of Digital Communications, AREAi Receiving the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy for AREAi’s FastTrack Programme in Qufu Jining, Shandong Province, China.*

This 4-day global engagement in China, held between the 26th – 28th of September 2024, was well attended by not just our Nigerian representative – Opeolu, but also by global leaders and other recipients of this year’s Confucius Literacy Award from Egypt and Indonesia.

Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi – Director of Digital Communications, AREAi from Nigeria with fellow Literacy Laureates from Egypt and Indonesia, at the China International Confucius Cultural Festival in Qufu Jining, Shandong Province, China.

This gathering afforded us the rare privilege of presenting before the world the impact of our Award-Winning FastTrack solution over the years.

Speaking to News Agencies from across East Asia, our Director of Communications – Opeolu was able to shed some light on how FastTrack continues to solve the challenges of foundational literacy for the most vulnerable groups, helping to bridge the learning gaps for marginalized and out-of-school children, particularly refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons across rural communities in Nigeria.

Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi – Director of Digital Communications at the China International Confucius Cultural Festival in Qufu Jining, Shandong Province, China, to receive the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.

In her acceptance speech to the organizers, she says:

“This global recognition as a recipient of the 2024 UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, is indeed a proud moment for us as Nigerians and Africans, and it is a testament to the resilient spirit, hard work, determination, and commitment of our incredible team at AREAi in enacting sustainable changes, educational transformation and awakening hope for vulnerable groups across rural communities in Nigeria.

It is Confucius who said: ‘If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.’

Hence, our award-winning program FastTrack is not only educating children but changing lives and also charting the course for a more inclusive future. A future where no child is left behind, especially those from marginalized groups – particularly refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons, from across the rural north and other regions and rural communities in Nigeria – where insecurity, insurgency and disruptions have impacted over 5 million children, cutting off access to quality education, stalling their development and social integration.

Since 2014, our determination and vision to push the boundaries and make possible learning without barries is gradually becoming a reality, even as we continue to re-write the African narrative by empowering and transforming the lives of thousands of Nigerian and African children with literacy and numeracy skills, thus aiding their re-integration into conventional learning institutions and society at large.

We know that innovation is the hallmark of progress, hence, our innovative solution – FastTrack addresses the challenges of bridging the learning gaps of this affected populace, and has significantly impacted the lives of over 19,000 beneficiaries since it’s inception in 2021, with a large percentage of these children being girls.

Hence, it is indeed an honor to be custodians of the future, as we know that our commitment to these children will continue to yield transformative results, with primary and secondary impacts and outcomes that will shape our future and outlive us as individuals and institutions.”

*Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi – Director of Digital Communications, AREAi at Closed-Door Meeting with Leaders of the Shandong Province Government.*

At this gathering, we had the privilege of attending a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Shandong Province government, where we were welcomed by leader Wang Guangyan – Member of the CPC Leading Group of Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China and Vice Minister of Education. The meeting was presided over by leader Zhou Naixiang, – Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Governor of Shandong Province, who stressed on the importance of establishing a united font that fosters not just unity, but also promotes economic prosperity and strengthens the cultural exchange and mutual learning opportunities between Nations across the Continent.

*Opeolu Eniola Adeyemi – Director of Digital Communications, AREAi with Zheng Qingyi – the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia Officer and fellow Literacy Laureate from Indonesia.*

At this engagement, we also had the honor of dining with Zheng Qingyi – Officer of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, other Literacy Laureates, prominent leaders and representatives from the Shandong Province in Qufu Jining.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the organizing committees and UNESCO for this great honor and award as a Literacy Laureate this year, as this strengthens our resolve and commitment to our vision in making possible, learning without barriers.

This award not only affirms the work we do at AREAi but serves as an encouragement to keep striving for excellence and sustainable change that not only promotes and supports effective literacy practices and dynamic literate societies but also fosters more peaceful coexistence and harmony.

Our vision for the educational landscape in Nigeria and Africa is resolute, as we continue to strive to commit to our very best through our dynamic programmes, specifically FastTrack, ensuring that there are no barriers to foundational literacy in Nigeria and Africa.