Favour Abatang, Founder of Her Voice Foundation: Her Journey, Impact, and Global Recognition

By Prince Ansa

Favour Abatang’s rise as a globally recognised girls’ education and girls’ rights advocate is rooted in a deeply personal journey one shaped by early loss, lived realities, and a defining commitment to creating opportunities for girls whose futures are often cut short. Today, as the Founder and Executive Director of Her Voice Foundation, she leads impactful work focused on supporting teenage mothers and at-risk girls across underserved communities, but her story began long before the organisation was established.

Born on the 13th of April 2000 and raised in New Karu, Nasarawa State, Nigeria, Favour’s early life was shaped by both vulnerability and resilience, though she originally hails from Obanliku Local Government Area in Cross River State. She attended Babcecil Nursery and Primary School in New Karu, where her relationship with education was not always straightforward. As a child, school initially felt more like an obligation than an opportunity. However, everything changed at the age of ten when she lost her mother a moment that redefined her outlook on life.

In the midst of grief, school became more than a routine. It became a space where she could process loss, find stability, and begin to imagine a future again. That experience planted a powerful realisation: education could be a lifeline. Yet, as she grew older, she became increasingly aware that this lifeline was not accessible to millions of girls across Africa, with over 122 million girls out of school globally.

Her academic journey reflects her evolving sense of purpose. She studied Philosophy at the University of Calabar, where she graduated as the best female student, a distinction that underscored her academic excellence and discipline. During her National Youth Service Corps, she served in Abuja under the EFCC CDS, further exposing her to structured civic engagement and national development efforts. Now a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, she studies Africa and International Development, building expertise at the intersection of gender, policy, and global systems. Her work spans critical areas including harmful cultural practices, girls’ education, and the challenges faced by teenage mothers. She also brings a strong background in media and communications, alongside knowledge in business, international development, and global value chains and their impact on African economies.

Favour describes herself as a girls’ education and girls’ rights advocate, grounded in feminist solidarity and driven by a clear mission to ensure that girls are not defined by their circumstances, but empowered to shape their futures.

A defining turning point came in 2020 when she encountered a 12-year-old pregnant girl. What struck her most was not just the situation, but the realisation that the girl’s story was not an isolated case. It reflected a broader pattern girls being pushed out of school, childhoods ending too early, and harmful practices sustained by silence and systemic gaps. For Favour, this moment was transformative. She could not accept a world where a girl’s future ends at twelve.

That conviction led to the founding of Her Voice Foundation, initially launched as Campus Babe Initiative. The organisation was created in direct response to the realities facing Africa’s teenage mothers and vulnerable girls, particularly those excluded from education and support systems.

Under her leadership, Her Voice Foundation has grown into a platform for both immediate support and long-term transformation. Its work focuses on helping girls stay in or return to school, while also providing access to healthcare, protection, and economic empowerment. Beyond direct support, the foundation actively engages in advocacy challenging policies, cultural norms, and systemic barriers that push girls out of education and limit their opportunities.

Favour’s role as a nonprofit executive extends beyond vision. She brings hands-on experience in programme design and management, fundraising, and strategic leadership, ensuring that the organisation’s work is both impactful and sustainable.

Her influence also extends into research and policy spaces. She previously served as a research fellow at Data Ville Group’s Institute for Development Research in Nigeria, where she contributed to work focused on development policy and social impact. Her research interests continue to centre on sexual and reproductive health and rights education, second-chance education models, and strategies for addressing harmful cultural practices.

On a broader scale, she has contributed to national and global conversations on gender equality. Since 2020, she has been involved with UN Women Nigeria as a National Youth Gender Advocate, participating in initiatives that amplify the voices of young people and promote inclusive development.

Her voice has reached international audiences through speaking engagements, including her appearance on the TEDx stage, where she delivered a powerful talk titled “The Power of a Second Chance.” In it, she emphasised a core belief that defines her work: that teenage mothers deserve opportunities to rebuild their lives through education, support, and dignity.

Favour Abatang’s impact has earned her recognition across multiple platforms. In 2023, she received the Diana Award, a prestigious honour established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, recognising young people making exceptional contributions to humanitarian causes. The award placed her among a global network of changemakers driving meaningful impact in their communities.

In 2025, she was named among the 100 Reputable Women of African Descent by the African Women Network, further affirming her role as a leading voice in advocacy and development. She has also received the Girl Child Education Champion Award in Cape Town, South Africa, in recognition of her continued efforts to expand access to education for girls.

Despite these achievements, Favour remains deeply grounded in her mission. Her approach is rooted in empathy and shaped by lived experience. She prioritises listening to the girls and communities she serves, ensuring that every intervention reflects their realities and needs.

Running a nonprofit in complex environments comes with challenges ranging from limited funding to cultural resistance and systemic barriers. Yet, she continues to navigate these obstacles with clarity, resilience, and a long-term vision for change.

At the heart of her work is a simple but powerful belief: Africa’s teenage mothers deserve second chances, not stigma; education, not exclusion; and access to opportunities that allow them to thrive.

Favour Abatang’s journey is a testament to what happens when personal experience meets purposeful action. From a young girl navigating loss to a global advocate shaping conversations on girls’ rights and education, she has transformed her story into a force for change.

Through Her Voice Foundation and her growing influence on the global stage, she continues to demonstrate that when a girl is supported to learn, heal, and lead, she does not just change her own life she transforms her community and, ultimately, her continent.