On 7 September 2017, I joined the A360 project in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as the first staff member. I was excited but uncertain about where to begin. As an indigene of the state, I knew that our deeply rooted cultural and religious beliefs could challenge our work with adolescent girls, and they did.
When 9ja Girls faced strong resistance from government, traditional leaders, and communities, we adapted. We introduced a hybrid approach, implementing 9ja Girls in Karu and MMA in rural Doma. Eventually, we had to suspend 9ja Girls in Karu, but the experience taught me that setbacks can create unexpected opportunities. The attention generated by the 9ja girls controversy brought girls and parents with unmet needs to our services, turning a difficult moment into an opportunity to reach more people. By the end of phase one in 2020, we had served over 10,000 girls and averted more than 2,000 pregnancies.
One moment that has stayed with me involves a young man who, after hearing our message in one of the IPCA sessions, shared his personal experience of an unintended closely spaced pregnancy which nearly led to the loss of his wife. He volunteered to educate other men, got a fixed-term contract, and later became one of our best Male IPCAs. Personally, A360 was a journey of transformation for me. I joined as a Program Assistant, initially skeptical about how we would get things off the ground. By the time I left in March 2023, I was serving as a State Program Manager, leading a team of seven.
More than the achievements, I left with a lasting lesson: When communities are at the center, even setbacks can become stepping stones to impact. A360 didn’t just teach me how to lead a project through resistance; it grew me through it. That is what I hope people remember: A360 built girls’ futures, and it built ours too.
Samuel Ombs
Past State Program Manager
Nigeria | 9ja girls A360 MMA | 2017 – 2023
