Matilda Yakubu’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the power of education. Born in Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State, she grew up in a household where survival was a daily battle. As the eldest of four children, she was forced into street hawking at just seven years old, selling groundnuts, boiled corn, and akara on the streets to support her family.
A Childhood of Struggles
Matilda’s parents—her mother, a petty trader, and her father, a struggling farmer—could barely make ends meet. While other children her age were in school, she roamed the streets of Kafanchan and Zonkwa, balancing a tray of goods on her head, calling out to potential buyers.
“I used to watch school children walk past me every morning, dressed in their neat uniforms, carrying books, and I wished I could be one of them,” Matilda recalls.
But education was a luxury her family couldn’t afford. Every morning, instead of picking up books, she picked up her tray and walked miles under the scorching sun, trying to sell enough to put food on the table.
A Night of Terror and Tears
One fateful evening, after a long day of hawking, Matilda counted the money she had made—₦700, just enough to take home to her mother. But as she stood in a crowded area of the market, exhausted and waiting to buy food before heading home, a stranger bumped into her. Before she could react, the small plastic bag holding her earnings was gone.
Panic gripped her chest. She searched frantically, asking people if they had seen anything, but no one seemed to care. The reality hit her hard—she had been robbed.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she imagined her mother’s anger and disappointment. Going home empty-handed was not an option. She feared the scolding, the hunger, and the shame.
With nowhere to go, she wandered through the streets, crying silently. As night fell, Matilda found herself near a makeshift market stall where goats were tied up for the night. Her feet ached, her stomach growled, and the fatigue was overwhelming. With no other choice, she curled up in a corner beside the goats, resting her head on a sack of grains.
“I cried until I had no more tears left, then I must have dozed off,” she recalls.
She woke up at dawn to the sound of bleating goats and the voices of traders setting up for the morning market. Cold, hungry, and afraid, she slowly made her way home, unsure of what awaited her.
A Life-Changing Encounter
Matilda’s mother was furious, but seeing her daughter’s swollen eyes and dusty clothes, she knew the child had suffered enough. That day, something changed in Matilda—she knew she couldn’t live like this forever.
Her breakthrough came when she met Mrs. Agnes Bako, a teacher who noticed her sharp mind while she was selling groundnuts. The teacher arranged for her to attend school on a scholarship, a moment that marked the beginning of Matilda’s journey out of poverty.
The Transition from the Streets to the Classroom
At nine years old, Matilda was older than most of her classmates and struggled with reading and writing. But she worked twice as hard, determined to succeed. Every evening after school, she still hawked to help her family, but now, she had hope.
Through sheer perseverance, Matilda completed secondary school with flying colors and earned a state government scholarship to study Education at Kaduna State University (KASU).
A Dream Fulfilled
In 2024, Matilda walked across the graduation stage, her heart bursting with pride. From sleeping among goats in a market to earning a degree in Education, she had defied the odds.
Today, Matilda is a teacher and an advocate for street children, running a small community initiative in Zangon Kataf to help girls like herself access education.
“My story could have ended differently, but education saved me. Now, I want to be the reason another child leaves the streets for the classroom,” she says.
Matilda’s story is a powerful reminder that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. She is proof that no matter how difficult the journey, the future can be rewritten with hard work and opportunity.
