Mujanatu Musa lives in a one-room apartment in Ajegunle, Lagos, struggling to support her three children on her daily income of about 2,000 naira ($1.30) from hairdressing. Following her husband’s departure, she relies on a local school that allows tuition to be paid with used plastic bottles, a lifeline for their education amidst Nigeria’s high poverty rates. The school’s founder, Patrick Mbamarah, initiated the “plastic-for-tuition” program to help underprivileged families while addressing plastic waste. However, logistical challenges and financial strain threaten the school’s operation, leaving Musa worried about her children’s future education if the school closes. With 10.5 million children out of school in Nigeria, the loss of Morit International School would severely impact families like hers.
