Background & Rationale
In Kaduna South, the drive for development is often hindered by systemic barriers to citizen participation, youth employment, and limited grassroots influence on public policy and service delivery. Despite these challenges, Kaduna South has a vibrant population of young people with energy, ideas, and a strong desire to contribute, yet they lack adequate access to mentorship and practical exposure.
The conceptual vision for this fellowship was born out of an inspiring conversation between the local government chairman, Hon. Rayyan Hussein, and representatives of Transparency & Accountability in Totality (TinT-FollowTaxes) during their attendance at the OGP Global Summit 2025 in Spain last year.
RaySCALE is designed to bridge this gap by nurturing a new generation of ethical, skilled, and community-rooted leaders who can actively engage in civic processes, build sustainable enterprises, and influence grassroots public policy.
Who the Programme is Meant For
The fellowship strictly targets young women and men residing within Kaduna South LGA who demonstrate leadership potential and an active commitment to community development. Specifically, the target group includes:
- Youth aged 20-35 years residing in Kaduna South LGA.
- Community organizers, CSO volunteers, and youth advocates.
- Student leaders and early career professionals.
- Early-stage entrepreneurs and innovators.
Women and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Vision & Strategic Inspiration
RaySCALE draws major structural inspiration from two critical development frameworks in Nigeria and across the African continent:
Legislative Mentorship Fellowship (LMI)
Inspires our grass-rooted approach, merit-based candidate selections, leadership ethics core parameters, and public service exposure methods.
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
Prioritizes our skill development focus, hands-on mentorship, and regional alumni peer exchange configurations.
Thematic Specialization Tracks
Following the foundational modules, each fellow is permanently assigned to one specialized learning track.
Civic Engagement & Social Accountability
Equips fellows with tools to mobilize citizens, audit local budgets, and engage duty-bearers constructively.
- • Budget Literacy (FollowTaxes approach)
- • Public resource tracking
- • Scorecards, public hearings, and FOI
- • Digital civic advocacy & media
Design & execute a community civic action project.
Entrepreneurship & Local Economic Development
Supports fellows in establishing secure, viable, community-driven enterprises addressing local economic priorities.
- • Opportunity identification
- • Business model design
- • Financial literacy & access to capital
- • Local subnational value chains
Development of a viable business or social enterprise plan.
Grassroots Public Policy & Governance
Strengthens capacity to analyze, co-create, and influence subnational public policy at the grassroot ward level.
- • Subnational policy cycles & bylaws
- • Evidence-based advocacy communication
- • Traditional institution and councillor engagements
- • Open Government Partnership principles
Formulate a comprehensive local policy brief or advocacy memo.
The 6-Month Fellowship Structure
A progressive layout ensuring theoretical competence before fieldwork.
Month 1 & 2: Core Foundation Module
A combined study path for all fellows establishing foundational skills in subnational systems, values-based governance, transparency, media relations, and conflict resolution.
Month 3, 4 & 5: Track Specialization & Practical Fieldwork
Fellows transition into specialized pathways with dedicated coaching, hands-on exposure to LG secretariat activities, and partner network exposure.
Month 6: Assessment & Graduation Showcase
Fellows present their final outputs, receive joint certificates from the partnership, and join the formal Kaduna South Fellows Alumni Network.
Theory of Change & Logic Framework
Understanding our strategic design framework and progressive outcomes.
The Grassroots Leadership Gap
Kaduna South faces a leadership gap where a vibrant, ambitious youth population lacks structural pipelines, mentorship, and practical exposure needed to influence public policy, overcome unemployment, and institutionalize accountability.
Creating Local Pipeline Pools
If we provide young leaders with specialized training in civic leadership, entrepreneurship, and policy—while ensuring diverse and conflict-sensitive representation—then we will create a competent "leadership pool" capable of driving transparent, inclusive, and sustainable development across the LGA.
Logic Framework Breakdown
State/Partner funding, curriculum expertise, mentorship networks (Raycare Foundation), political will of the LG administration.
Civic leadership certifications, entrepreneurship bootcamps, policy hackathons, LGA secretariat internships.
Certified young leaders, youth-led business frameworks, policy briefs, active feedback loops.
Higher ward accountability, town hall participation, reduced underemployment, social cohesion.
Resilient, economically thriving Kaduna South governed by inclusive, policy-driven leaders.
Why It Works (Key Assumptions)
- 1. Conflict Sensitivity: Diverse selections prevent ethnic/religious friction and cultivate local peace ambassadors.
- 2. Structural Pipeline: Direct LGA secretariat involvement makes learning practical, not just theoretical.
- 3. Entrepreneurial Link: Direct enterprise training ensures leaders are self-reliant.
The "Ray" Effect (Sustainability)
This model is built to outlast a one-off program. By establishing an active Fellows Network, graduated leaders step into workspaces as professional administrators who then return to mentor subsequent cohorts. This generates a continuous, self-sustaining cycle of subnational accountability in Kaduna South.
Hon. Rayyan Hussein
Executive Chairman, Kaduna South Local Government Council
Project Lead
The vision of RaySCALE was ignited and brought to life through the political will of the Executive Chairman, Hon. Rayyan Hussein. Bringing his deep experience as a philanthropist and procurement expert, Hussein's core mandate focuses on grassroot inclusion and active citizen participation.
"Building a new generation of leaders is our structural duty to the grassroots. RaySCALE is a strictly non-partisan, merit-driven framework designed to empower youth across all 13 wards of Kaduna South. By equipping them with subnational budget literacy and enterprise tools, we are setting a clear timeline of self-sustaining civic excellence."
Senator Uba Sani
Governor of Kaduna State
RaySCALE's curriculum is directly aligned with the subnational governance model pioneered by Governor Uba Sani. His flagship SUSTAIN Agenda prioritizes inclusive economic growth, technical workforce development, and the establishment of dedicated grassroots vocational structures.
"Our administration's SUSTAIN Agenda places youth development and leadership capacity building at the very forefront. True transformation begins by equipping those at the grassroots with vocational standards and governance tools, creating a secure, peaceful, and united Kaduna state."
Institutional Roles of Partners
RaySCALE stands on a collaborative platform, pooling resources from government, civil society, and philanthropic entities.
Kaduna South Local Government
Acts as the core institutional host. Providing policy access, secretariat facilities for workspace internships, logistics coordination, and direct subnational support mechanisms.
TinT–FollowTaxes
Leads technical curriculum designs for budget literacy, public finance tracking systems, and social accountability metrics. FollowTaxes simplifies subnational fiscal parameters for young advocates.
Raycare Foundation
Monitors field progress, captures social impact evaluations, validates programmatic alignment with state-level development agendas, and oversees the long-term sustainability coordinates of the program.
Ready to Drive Grassroot Change?
Whether you are an ambitious resident indigene seeking the fellowship, or a development specialist looking to assist as a selections evaluator, our portal is open.