Empowering Students Through Supplementary Learning: The Dawn Cobhams Story

Changemaker’s Journey 

As a child, Dawn Cobhams lacked access to after-school educational support due to financial constraints. She had to rely on the internet for the few virtual learning resources available to fully grasp certain school topics, which affected her academic performance. This firsthand experience inspired her to create Go-Learners. Through this initiative, she is on a mission to bridge the gap in access to supplementary education by providing easily accessible online resources and organising peer-to-peer learning opportunities for young people. 

The Initiative 

Dawn advocates for supplementary education in Nigeria as a support system for classroom learning. Her initiative, Go-Learners, tackles the issue of limited and often unaffordable educational resources for secondary school students. By promoting access to high-quality education through online coaching and curated learning materials, Go-Learners helps students improve their academic performance and achieve better learning outcomes. 

The initiative employs a supplementary learning approach, which has proven effective as it enables students to cover a broader range of topics than the standard school syllabus—giving them a competitive edge in their studies. 

Being a virtual platform, Go-Learners has faced challenges, including cybersecurity threats. At one point, hackers compromised their Facebook 

page, where they hosted a wealth of educational content for students. Briefly deterred, the initiative made a strong comeback with improved security measures. 

"A changemaker must be creative (and innovative) because we live in a world that is constantly evolving," says Dawn. She adds that Go-Learners has had to adapt and expand due to growing student demand. What started as a simple 7 PM to 9 PM online class has now evolved into structured programmes and collaborations with organisations to provide a more enriching learning experience. 

Impact 

“My impact story starts with me.” Dawn understands the responsibility she carries as a pacesetter, ensuring she continuously expands her knowledge and serves as a role model for others. 

Among the many students impacted by Go-Learners is Alice Enomfon John from Niger State, who scored an aggregate of 307 in her UTME—placing her among the top 0.5% of students in Nigeria who surpass the coveted 300-score benchmark. 

Future Aspirations

As Go-Learners' classes and resources are currently accessible only via mobile phones and computers, Dawn acknowledges that not all students have this privilege. To address this, the initiative is working on establishing an in-person learning platform where students can engage with educational content on weekends to ensure that no one is left behind. 

Dawn aspires to expand Go-Learners beyond Nigeria, reaching students across Africa and the world. She is also keen on forging more partnerships with organisations that share similar goals—such as Inspire Change Foundation, which currently serves students in rural areas of Kano State. 

Additionally, Go-Learners plans to develop an app that will enable students to track their progress, measure their performance, and enjoy a more seamless learning experience. 

Everyone a Changemaker 

Dawn Cobhams encourages every young person to begin their changemaking journey by focusing on the problem that affects them the most. She believes that if everyone becomes a changemaker, the world's solutions will outnumber its problems. 

“Changemaking is a superpower. Be that superhero.”