Small Cash, Big Change: How Macrine Haruna is keeping Adamawa’s children in school

In some villages of Adamawa State, pupils still sit on bare floors to learn. For many of them, the biggest motivation to remain in school is not government intervention but the small cash rewards of N600 to N1,000 from a private citizen.   That citizen is Macrine Kuva Kwada Haruna, a journalist and mother of […]

In some villages of Adamawa State, pupils still sit on bare floors to learn. For many of them, the biggest motivation to remain in school is not government intervention but the small cash rewards of N600 to N1,000 from a private citizen.

 

That citizen is Macrine Kuva Kwada Haruna, a journalist and mother of four, who decided to act after seeing how little support children in her community received.

Her journey of helping others began as far back as 2003, long before she became widely known for her community service. She explained that the inspiration came from her mother, who always reached out to others despite having little herself.

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“I saw how my mother would share food and help people even when she didn’t have enough. That shaped me. I knew I had to continue in that spirit, because I cannot watch people suffer when I can do something, even if small,” she said.

Haruna recalled that what moved her the most was watching children drop out of school because of what many would call “minor” challenges.

“Sometimes a child is brilliant but cannot afford notebooks. Sometimes the problem is just N500 or N1,000. I thought to myself, if I can remove those obstacles, why not?” she explained.

She began with schoolchildren, rewarding those who excelled with small sums of money.

“I give N600, N800, or N1,000 to those who take first position. It may look small in the city, but in my village it is a big deal. It makes them feel proud, and it motivates them to keep going,” she said.

As she continued, the scope of her interventions widened. She noticed how girls in her community missed school during their periods because they could not afford sanitary pads.

“It was painful to see girls stay at home for a whole week every month because of something so basic. I began to provide sanitary pads for some of them. Every girl deserves to be in school with dignity,” she said.

She also turned her attention to widows and vulnerable women.

“I have seen widows lose hope completely, so I started supporting them with small businesses. Even N5,000 or N10,000 can be enough to start frying akara or selling vegetables. That little change helps to put food on their table and hope to move on,” she said.

For Haruna, the concern is not only about getting children into classrooms but also ensuring they remain there. She said poverty, poor infrastructure, and lack of teaching materials combine to frustrate families and drive children out of school.

“Sometimes it is not about big government projects. It is about the little things. A desk, a notebook, a pad. These little things matter,” she explained.

Asked how she funds her projects, Haruna said she largely draws from her personal earnings.

“I don’t have sponsors. I just cut down on things I can do without, and I divert the money here. Sometimes, when I share the stories online, people reach out with little support. That is how I keep it going,” she explained.

Despite the challenges, she said what keeps her going is the impact she sees.

 

“When a girl tells me she didn’t miss school this term because she had pads, or when a widow calls to say she can now pay her children’s fees, it gives me strength. Those small testimonies make me know it is worth it,” she said.

But Haruna’s work has gone beyond her immediate community. For Abraham Okodugha, a young man who once battled drug addiction, her kindness was life-saving.

“I am a true testament and evidence of her compassion,” he said. “Years ago I was diagnosed with chronic skin ulceration caused by drug addiction. I had already attempted suicide three times because I couldn’t stand the pain, trauma, and stigma. Out of desperation, I reached out on social media, and when my case got to her attention, she took it upon herself to make sure I didn’t just survive but became free from addiction.”

Okodugha explained that despite being strangers, Haruna rallied her friends and contacts to raise funds for his treatment.

“She was there all through my recovery journey, investing her time, attention, and resources. When I got depressed, she would remind me that God had a plan for me. Today I am three years clean, running the ‘Say No to Drugs, Yes to Life’ campaign in schools and on podcasts, using my story to inspire others. This would not have been possible without her,” he said.

For many in Adamawa and beyond, Haruna’s quiet interventions are filling gaps left by government neglect. Her story underscores how ordinary citizens are stepping in to rescue futures that might otherwise be lost.

For Mrs Augusta Akparanta, who runs a separate Non-Governmental Organisation in Abuja, Haruna’s regular assistance has been a lifeline.

“Haruna is always there for us when we embark on our numerous activities which include helping the orphans and widows,’’ she said.

Akparanta added that Haruna often sends funds to support orphans’ education and help widows or less privileged women start small businesses.

“Through her assistance we managed to pull out many widows from the brink, assist orphans to continue with their education as well as provide sanitary pads for under-privileged girls. That helped to make a lot of difference to their lives,’’ she said.