Mariya Abubakar Bagudo is a storyteller, filmmaker and creative artist who is passionate about SDGs and community development.
Mariya has made significant strides in empowering her community through her free school program, which provides basic education for out-of-school girls and boys in low-income communities, and she has currently covered more than 500 learners.
She is the founder of the IKAB Foundation, where she hosts school sensitization programs and awareness campaigns on sickle cell anaemia and its stigma and provides annual free genotype tests, genotype compatibility counselling and awareness rallies. She has also produced a documentary on the reality of living with sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria.
Mariya has partnered with many NGOs and programs to speak up on the menace of violence against women, participating in workshops to enhance her skills in gender advocacy and encouraging women to speak up and seek justice while advocating for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls.
She has also created safe spaces for people living with psychosocial disabilities to share their challenges and struggles, offering a community and support circle for people with shared pain and stories.
