Street Boys Initiative: One Year On
Street Boys Initiative: One Year On
A year ago, we launched the Street Boys Initiative with a simple belief: every young person deserves a second chance. Today, we're proud to share what that belief has made possible.
The Problem We Set Out to Solve
Across Lagos, thousands of young men live and work on the streets — many of them school dropouts who fell through the cracks of an overstretched system. Without education or marketable skills, the cycle of poverty becomes almost impossible to break.
Our initiative targets young men aged 13 to 22 who are currently out of school, offering them a structured pathway back into education or into vocational training.
What the Programme Offers
Each participant receives:
- Literacy and numeracy support — meeting them at their current level, not the level they 'should' be at
- Vocational skills training — including carpentry, electronics repair, and tailoring
- Mentorship — matched with a working professional from their community
- Psychosocial support — counselling and group sessions to process trauma and build resilience
One Year in Numbers
- 47 young men enrolled since launch
- 31 have completed at least one vocational module
- 12 are now employed or self-employed
- 8 returned to formal schooling
- 6 are running their own micro-businesses
Meet Taiwo
Taiwo dropped out of school at 14 after his family could no longer afford fees. For three years, he sold water sachets on Lagos streets. He joined the initiative in September 2024.
By March 2025, Taiwo had completed our electronics repair module. He now fixes phones and small appliances from a workspace in his community, earning enough to support himself and send money home.
"I thought my time had passed. They showed me it hadn't."
What's Next
We're expanding the programme to two new communities in late 2025. We're also partnering with local businesses to create formal apprenticeship pathways for graduates of the initiative.
If your business is interested in offering an apprenticeship, or if you'd like to volunteer as a mentor, please reach out through our Contact page.