Written by Azubike Kalu, Back2Back Nigeria Site Director

He stood before Back2Back staff in silence. In his hands was a sheet of paper meant for sponsor letters. After handing it over, he remained still, waiting.

“I asked him to begin writing, reassuring him I would help with any words he wasn’t sure about,” a staff member recalled. “But he just looked at me with wide, brown eyes, expectant.” Finally, he picked up his pencil, wrote his name, and set it back down. A realization occurred to the staff – his name was the only word he knew how to write.  

Their response was immediate; they invested extra time with him, boosting his confidence and teaching reading and writing step by step.  

Because safe adults came alongside him with consistency and kindness, he finished the school year as the top student. When he shared the news, staff and peers celebrated loudly. He discovered what he was capable of when those around him believed in him. 

Today, the boy who once could only write his name is a high school graduate, with his future wide open.

This is what investment looks like. Without intervention, he might have remained overlooked, labeled as “slow” or “difficult.” Instead, with sponsors, advocates, staff, and prayer warriors surrounding him, his potential was unlocked.

Every child Back2Back serves holds this kind of promise. It takes one day, one conversation, one safe adult at a time. Through tailored tutoring, children who once struggled gain tools to learn in ways tailored to their needs, and ultimately find their place in the world they were made to thrive.