A family’s story reflects the dreams, struggles and triumphs of girls and young women
“I am the sum of my dreams, that of my mother’s and my grandmother’s.
Each time I step into the classroom, I carry their hopes with me — the ones whispered, the ones paused by hardship but never forgotten. My grandmother taught my mother resilience, and my mother gave me the courage to dream louder.
Now, I dream not just for myself, but for every girl who believes education can change her world.” – Maryam, 15
With UNICEF’s support, girls like Maryam are turning their dreams into reality through education which neither Maryam’s mother nor grandmother had access to.
A family’s story reflects the dreams, struggles and triumphs of girls and young women
“I am the sum of my dreams, that of my mother’s and my grandmother’s.
Each time I step into the classroom, I carry their hopes with me — the ones whispered, the ones paused by hardship but never forgotten. My grandmother taught my mother resilience, and my mother gave me the courage to dream louder.
Now, I dream not just for myself, but for every girl who believes education can change her world.” – Maryam, 15
With UNICEF’s support, girls like Maryam are turning their dreams into reality through education which neither Maryam’s mother nor grandmother had access to.
Hajiya would later get married at age 15, residing in Liman Katagum community, in Bauchi state, where she still lives with her daughter, Bala Raba.
Bala, 40 believes her childhood was better than her mother’s. Coincidentally, like her mother, Bala once aspired to become a health worker, possibly fulfilling a dream her mother had to abandon. She enrolled in school and her education went smoothly until she stopped at Primary Six. Aged 14, she got married. With her dreams of becoming a health worker put on hold, Bala represents a second generation of girls unable to fulfill their dreams.
In her adolescent years, she faced other challenges including menstrual hygiene. “One thing that troubled me as a girl was my menstrual hygiene,” she says. “People were shy to talk about menstruation, and as a girl, I barely knew what to do.” But she believes her daughter – Maryam Mahmud, 15, is more fortunate.
“A lot has changed for girls nowadays. I talk about menstrual hygiene with my daughter, and there is less apprehension about discussing menstruation.”
Maryam’s life is testament to the progress made for girls in recent decades. Unlike her mother and grandmother, she has advanced further in her education and is now in Class three of Junior Secondary School. Maryam also wishes to go into medical practice.
I know I have a lot of hard work ahead of me to achieve my dreams. I need to finish Senior Secondary School and proceed to the University. I am confident that my parents and family will continue to support my academic pursuits.
Maryam.
Despite her optimism, Maryam still harbours fears about the future, and about the challenges faced by girls in general when it comes to education. She believes policymakers need to do more to support girls’ education.
“If I had the chance to talk to government leaders about girls, I would talk about education,” she says in all earnest.
The lives of Hajiya, Bala and Maryam symbolize the struggles and strides made in securing the future of adolescent girls over the past few decades. While progress has been made, these young women still face various limitations compared to their male counterparts.
According to a UNICEF report released to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day, about 4 in 10 adolescent girls and young women worldwide do not complete their upper secondary schooling.
Maryam knows that the internet could aid her journey towards becoming a medical professional. Unfortunately, she is one of the 9 out of every 10 adolescent girls and young women in low-income countries who do not have access to the internet.
Maryam’s optimism, her unwavering resolve for a bright future, and her educational journey — one that has surpassed those of the two generations before her — illustrate the pathbreaking strides made in advancing the cause of girls and young women. However, her fears about the future of girls’ education renew the call to break down these age-old barriers preventing promising girls from achieving their dreams.
In Nigeria, UNICEF champions the cause of adolescent girls by promoting initiatives aimed at education, ending child marriage, combating gender-based violence, and promoting sexual and reproductive health, therefore, empowering girls to become achieve the #Girlgoals.
CREDIT: UNICEF NIGERIA
