Oprah Winfrey Pledges $100,000 in Support of Girl-Child Education in Nigeria

The GEANCO foundation was founded by both Oyelowo and fellow Hollywood actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Odenigbo in Nigerian popular movie Half of a Yellow Sun.

Oyelowo, who recently revealed his concern in helping improve the sexism, health and edu­cation standards in Nigeria has partly been fueled from watching the lives touched by Oprah, an influential woman whom he now calls a mother figure.

The money from the Oprah Winfrey Foundation will transform two schools in Nigeria, pro­viding children with proper learning supplies, some of which include computers, books, note­books and medical facilities.

A portion of the funds will also be distributed to organizations directly work­ing with the recovery of the rescued girls (who came back traumatized and pregnant after being captured for months by the Boko Haram sect)

Oyelowo said, “I, of course, like a lot of people, was disturbed by the kidnapping of the girls in Chibok and the fact that this awful situation was very much around the idea of wanting girls in particu­lar to not be educated,

“I think that’s basically an attempt at not just ruining those girl’s future but Nige­ria’s future.”