British-Nigerian Actor David Oyelowo, Oprah Winfrey, Others Partner to Create Leadership Scholarship for Girls affected by terror in Nigeria

Selma Actor, David Oyelowo is partnering with Oprah Winfrey, Janus Funds, Participant Media and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon to send young girls from Nigeria who are victims of terrorism and gender-based attacks to school.

The David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship for Girls aims to ensure that the girls are armed with the right tools to excel in society.

Speaking to The Huffington Post, Oyelowo said that the scheme was inspired by the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship for Girls in South Africa. He added that the tragic abduction of 276 girls in Chibok community, Borno state in 2014 propelled him to action.

“For me, being of Nigerian descent myself, being a father to a daughter, I just feel so drawn to this particular group of girls in Nigeria who have been disenfranchised, who have been attacked, and having their very basic rights stolen from them.

And so, forming this partnership to start this scholarship that is going to have actual direct impact to girls who have been displaced through these acts of terror, is something that was kind of a no brainer for me, because I’ve been looking for places to be effective rather than just be angry about some of the injustices that I see in the world,” Oyelowo told The Huffington Post.

Three recipients for this year, will attend Anglican Girls Grammar School in Abuja that is well-known for its emphasis on Science and Mathematics.

Learn more about the scholarship HERE.

Photo Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images