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You're watching UNICEF television.

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It's a quiet Sunday in this Muslim community of Kasina, a northern state in Nigeria.

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While students at this primary school enjoy their day off,

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these mothers are busy learning how to read and write,

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many for the first time in their lives.

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Forty-five-year-old Hadiza was married at age 13,

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and she never had the chance to go to school.

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Having missed out on schooling for so many years,

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she now appreciates education and values it above anything else.

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I feel like I've been cheated.

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That's why I'm now making sure that my children go to school daily.

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I also encourage my neighbors to send their children to school.

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Considering the importance of education,

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I would not like anyone close to me to lose out on it.

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Without it, development is not possible.

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At home, Hadiza shares household responsibility with her husband's other wife.

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Her two children, 13-year-old Alawiyah and 8-year-old Yusuf,

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go to the same school where Hadiza attends her adult literacy class.

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In the past, women here were not interested in literacy,

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but now they are showing interest.

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They study their books until they fall asleep at night.

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Through reading, I have also noticed that their cooking is improved,

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as well as their personal hygiene.

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Hadiza is also actively involved in her community.

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Hadiza is also actively involved in her community's school-based management committee.

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It's the first time in the village history

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that women are allowed to participate in the same forum as men.

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With their persistent efforts,

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children working during school hours has been banned by many communities,

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ensuring all children, especially girls, stay focused on their schooling.

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With the $50 million funding committed by the UK,

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UNICEF and its government partners

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have been able to empower many women throughout northern Nigeria.

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Because of this, mothers like Hadiza are now finding a voice in their society

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and becoming a driving force to create a brighter future for their children.

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In Kasina, northern Nigeria,

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this is Kunle reporting for UNICEF Television.

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Unite. For Children.