Katsina, Nigeria: It is a typical school day in Take-Tsimi, a village in northern Nigeria. In Take-Tsimi primary school, a student named Salahudeen is called upon to read aloud in class. He stands up and does so with confidence, serving as a role model to the other children in his class. Over the last school year, Salahudeen has been sharpening his reading skills through participation in the Reading and Numeracy Activity (RANA).

RANA is a three-year pilot project on Hausa language reading and numeracy, implemented by FHI 360 as part of UNICEF’s Girls Education Project Phase 3 (GEP3) with funding support from the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID). RANA is implemented in collaboration with the governments of Katsina and Zamfara states, and it aims to improve literacy and numeracy for girls and boys in primary grades 1-3 by assisting approximately 200 formal schools and Integrated Qura’nic Schools.

A local education official noticed Salahudeen’s exceptional reading performance during a routine RANA monitoring visit. Salahudeen explained, “I have always admired people when I see them reading. When our teacher started teaching us RANA lessons, I paid attention so that I can also read.”

In addition to dedicating himself to his RANA classes, Salahudeen began saving portions of his lunch allowance so that he could buy his own reading material. He is now the proud owner of six books. Although his father attested that Salahudeen had always been a good student, he also believed that the RANA program enhanced Salahudeen’s interest in reading. “The RANA lessons have made Salahudeen more hardworking and to love school,” his father said. “I will support his education to any level within my means. I am very grateful to RANA for giving school a new meaning.”

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