COAL Newsletter, June 2026
Hello,
On 15th May, gunmen walked into three schools in Oyo State Nigeria and kidnapped 39 students and seven teachers. Among them are children between the ages of two and sixteen, and two teachers who lost their lives. That same week, 42 more children were abducted in Borno State. Since 2014, more than 2,400 students have been kidnapped across Nigeria. Schools have become places families fear. Yet, children, teachers and communities keep showing up, insisting that education matters, even when the cost of that insistence is terrifyingly high.
This is the context in which we work and why your support has meant more than we can easily say.
What your support is enabling
Three months ago, we stepped into unfamiliar territory with the launch of our very first fundraising campaign. Uncertain of the outcome, we were hopeful that our community will show up, and you did! Thanks to you, that hope turned into $5,000+ raised, matched by the New Africa Fund (NAF), bringing the total to $10,015.96. For a small nonprofit like ours, this is more than funding. It is a vote of confidence in our mission. Here’s what your support has already set in motion:
- 500+ learners continue to learn, read and solve basic maths problems across Jebbu Bassa, Jebbu Miango, and Jos South LGAs of Plateau State
- A refreshed accelerated learning curriculum is being developed for testing and rollout in the next phase of the Grassroots Accelerated Education Fund (GAEF)
- Over 90 young people supported with a safe creative platform via our open mics
- 2 authors shared their work in Jos for the first time, alongside 40+ readers who showed up for African stories
Key Highlights of the last three months
COAL at the NAF Grantee Workshop in Kigali, Rwanda
Out of more than 4,000 organizations across Africa that applied to the 3rd Cohort of the Africa Impact Fundraising Grant Program, COAL emerged as one of the top 10 performing organizations during the fundraising challenge month. This achievement led to an invitation to participate in the NAF Skills Workshop in Kigali, Rwanda, from 15–18 June 2026. Beyond the recognition, the experience connected us with inspiring changemakers doing difficult work across Africa. We came back with enhanced skills and connections that will shape how we grow.
New connections and creating a market for African Literature
In May, we hosted Umar Turaki and Nana Sule for a book reading in Jos. For both writers, it was their first public reading in the city. For us, Umar’s visit holds a special meaning. Beyond being the author of Every Drop of Blood is Red and Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold, he is also a COAL Trustee whose guidance has helped shape our organisation.
For Nana Sule, author of Not So Terrible People, the event marked her first visit to Jos and her first engagement with the city’s literary community. More than 20 books were sold, but the real story lies in what those sales represent: people reading African literature, supporting authors, and helping create a culture of reading. See video highlight here.
Open Mic
“When the gun goes bang, you run!”
With those words, spoken-word artist Joe Exalt captures a reality many young people in Jos know all too well, a city where fear often moves faster than reason.
Yet within this reality, art offers something powerful: a place to pause, reflect, and connect across religious and ethnic divides. Our open mics continue to be a safe space for dialogue, creative expression and a community helping young people navigate their world. In the past few months, over 90 young people engaged at our open mics, with 29 taking the stage to perform. See Joe Exalt performance here
👉 Watch more performances here
Impact spotlight: Chisom Nsiegbunam
This haunting excerpt from Little Bodies, a short story by Chisom Nsiegbunam, a student and creative writer whose journey reminds us why storytelling matters. Before recognition came, there were journals, drafts, and countless submissions. In 2025 alone, Chisom received more than 70 rejections.
Still, she continued writing. Her participation in COAL’s Art4Life Campaign became a turning point, not simply because she was selected, but because it transformed how she approached her craft. She began writing with greater intention, rethinking structure, voice, and perspective.
Today, her work has earned notable nominations, publications, and residency opportunities, proving that persistence often writes the most powerful stories. Chisom’s journey is one of many featured in our newly curated Impact Story Database, where we document the people, communities, and ideas shaped through COAL’s work.
👉 Read Chisom’s full story and explore other impact stories here.
What does it take to build a creative life? What shapes the stories we tell? These are some of the questions explored in Between the Lines, our new podcast series featuring thoughtful conversations with creatives and innovators. Created to reach audiences beyond Nigeria’s traditional literary hubs, particularly in Northern Nigeria, the series creates access to voices, experiences, and ideas that are often out of reach.
Over the past few months, we’ve featured guests including renowned poet Bash Amunen and Ugandan writer Brenda Asiimwe, author of three new children’s books. Each conversation offers fresh insights into creativity, craft, and the realities that shape artistic work. If you’ve missed an episode, now is a great time to start.
Thank you
Every learner supported, every young artist who takes the stage, every book sold, every story shared, and every opportunity created has been made possible because of you.
With gratitude, From all of us at COAL
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