Who would believe that Ngunan, the girl from Ihugh, who was struggling to acquire a college certificate a while ago, would one day create a platform to ensure other girls like her don’t miss out on educational and development opportunities because of their backgrounds, or from having lost a father.
Meet Ngunan Ioron-Aloho – a multifaceted professional with over 10 years of experience working, designing and delivering programmes and projects to ensure gender development, tackle human trafficking, and promote financial empowerment for women and girls. Ngunan hails from Ihugh town, Benue, Nigeria, and grew up in Makurdi with her mom, and siblings haven lost her dad at age 11. Ngunan holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree from the Benue State University and graduated with a second class upper division from the Nigerian Law School before proceeding to the University of York, in the UK for a Master’s degree in Comparative and International Social Policy, where she achieved a merit. Her drive for social innovation, and development stemmed from her childhood, and the generous support she received from her mom, and her father’s friends who ensured she acquired the college dream she desired.
Ngunan’s story is one of hard work, resilience and support. Growing up, she saw many girls her age forced into early marriages, ending their educational dreams. It could have been her – but with support from her mom, who never gave up despite the hardships she endured after her father’s passing, and her father’s friends who continued to show them love and care, Ngunan was able to graduate college, and begin her quest for learning, and vocational training to support herself through school. Recalling her struggle, Ngunan imagined what her fate would have been, if not for the support of others, and the life her father had lived to garner the kindness of his friends which transitioned unto her – without her mom’s support, dad’s continued love, and kindness of his friends, she wouldn’t have completed her education, let alone earn a Master’s degree from the prestigious University of York in the United Kingdom, because completing college was the door opener to all the works ahead of her, and her desire to ensure that other girls access same opportunities as she had.
Determined to create opportunities for other girls, Ngunan founded the Samuel Ioron Foundation (SIF) in 2017, named in honour of her late father – to ensure girls and women have access to education and development opportunities through learning, information, and service. “It all started in 2012,” Ngunan recalls. “I had imagined how different things would have been for me if I lived in a village, and or without the support I had during college, I would have been a school dropout, without access to knowing what is possible with education. I was thinking about how many girls were forced to get married instead of continuing their education, and the challenges we face even when in school. Without the right kind of support, knowledge, a girl is like a prey in a forest, waiting to be hunted. I wanted to create a space where women, girls, we could have discussion about these issues, and proffer solutions to them. I wanted girls to have the support I had – the one I created.” Thus, the Samuel Ioron Foundation – it’s a vision that came to life – I drew strength to create this from the kindness and love I saw people show me, but also the one from the man who helped mom birth me.
SIF is a non-profit organisation based in Makurdi, dedicated to increasing educational access for girls and women in marginalised communities. The organisation empowers women and girls with the digital skills and technical know-how to fuel for financial independence. One of SIF’s signature project was, and still is the Ivy Project, which uses art and dialogue to campaign against child marriage and advocate for girls’ education. The project includes a 69-page illustrated book and a short film that tells the story of a 16-year-old child bride experiencing the harsh realities of child marriage.
“Through visual illustrations and storytelling, Ivy captures the attention and empathy of its audience, but also we were able to break language barriers in several communities where we travelled to sensitise the public, and in particular traditional rulers who are often the custodians of their laws and orders in communities about the importance of girl education ” says Ngunan.
The project was piloted in 18 communities in Benue, Nigeria, with an estimated reach to 60+ traditional rulers, leaders, and 800+ public stakeholders between 2018-2021. Recognized as an African Union Education Innovation Project Finalist in 2019, Ivy has garnered acclaim for its innovative approach to advocacy and its potential to effect tangible change. This accolade, conferred in Gaborone, Botswana, underscores Ivy’s role as a catalyst for advancing girls’ rights and amplifying voices that too often go unheard.
Child marriage remains a significant issue in Nigeria, with reports indicating that 44% of girls are married before the age of 18, totalling over 24 million child brides. Nigeria ranks third globally in child marriage prevalence, with the North West and North East regions having the highest rates, where 52% and 51.1% of women aged 20-24 were married before their 18th birthday, respectively (UNICEF). The Ivy Project was able to bridge the gap and played a pivotal role in curbing this narrative, challenging societal norms and advocating for girls’ education
As the organisation grew, and support for girl’s education expanded, Ngunan alongside her team designed and launched the Match-Up Program in 2023 focusing on connecting 650 children (female and male) living in displacement settings in Benue, Nigeria with donors for educational sponsorship. “We believe in the goodness of humanity and the transformative power of education,” says Ngunan. “We rely on the generosity of individuals inspired by our cause.”
The project embodies the organisation’s commitment to providing a platform where women, girls can access educational and development opportunities. Since its inception, over 50 children have been matched with sponsors, paving the way for them to enrol in school and pursue their dreams. Now, with ambitious goals set for the future, Ngunan aims to expand the organisational project reach to support up to 650 children by connecting them with donors who share their vision.
Ngunan has over time designed and delivered 60+ projects both within Africa and the UK – where she lives and works as the UK Communities Coordinator with the ONE Campaign, a global development organisation working to end poverty in Africa. Amongst these projects, Ngunan through a recommendation was sourced to project manage the Voices of Images of Migration, Exploitation, Reintegration, and Emancipation in Nigeria (VIOMEREN), where she was a co-investigator and budget manager for Nigeria in 2020. The project partners included the University of Ibadan, University of Leicester, and De Montfort University and were funded by the Anti-Slavery Knowledge Network. The project documented the lived experiences of returnee migrants who were victims of human trafficking and modern slavery. The impact of the storytelling technique used for this project necessitated its involvement to be included in the World Health Organization reportage during the Global School of Health and Migration which was held in Senegal in late 2023, a project Ngunan oversaw, where a short film was created to showcase the impact of health on migrants.
Ngunan, and her team’s latest work is the just launched Equal Access – Database (EADB) project, a project focusing on designing a database reporting structure for camps in Makurdi, Nigeria, and empowering 300 displaced women and girls in IDP camps in Benue, Nigeria to learn vocational and digital skills like computing, UI/UX, digital photography, baking, hair making amongst others. This idea for this project was developed after Ngunan and her team uncovered sexual exploitation happening in camps where women are exploited for sex in exchange of essential supplies often donated to the camps. Through a pilot, the organisation designed sensitisation programmes, and held dialogues with the host communities, and traditional rulers, and scaled up through the EADB to offer women and girls skills to help them build financial resilience and protect themselves from people who would otherwise exploit them.
“Empowering women and girls is a powerful tool to change the world,” says Ngunan. “By involving them in projects and providing business opportunities, we can take power off the perpetrators, and give it back to the women, build their confidence, and nudge them to report abuse.”
As the EADB project progresses, many women and girls have already started small-scale businesses, improving their standard of living. Mimi Atom, the Monitoring and Evaluation officer, shared, “Many are excited and believe they have been given a new lease on life. Their confidence has grown, and there are already success stories emerging.”
Building on these successes, Ngunan’s journey from a girl who grew up in Makurdi to a connector recognises her resilience, drive, and the power education has in changing lives. Her story continues to inspire countless women and girls, proving that with determination and support, anything is possible. As she looks ahead, Ngunan remains committed to expanding the reach and impact of the Samuel Ioron Foundation, which will create sustainable platforms for women and girls, children to access opportunities and stories that will shift and change narratives.
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