In a powerful testament to the lengths parents will go to secure a brighter future for their children, a heartwarming and deeply emotional story has emerged from Niger State, Nigeria. A woman, driven by determination and maternal love, resorted to paying her children’s school fees with live hens, showcasing a remarkable example of sacrifice and the enduring value placed on education.
The event took place in a secondary school in one of the rural areas of Niger State, where access to financial resources is often limited, and barter remains a common practice for some families. The woman, who arrived at the school office accompanied by her children, sat quietly holding a basket of live hens — her only available resource to offer in exchange for her children’s education.
In a scene that has since gone viral on social media, a school official was seen receiving the hens as payment while the children, dressed in their uniforms, watched quietly. The photo, which has garnered widespread attention and admiration, captures not just the exchange, but the silent story of a mother’s courage, love, and resilience.
According to eyewitnesses and staff at the school, the woman had approached the school administration to plead for time to gather the money for her children’s tuition. However, after realizing she could not raise the funds in cash, she returned days later with what little she had — a handful of live chickens — asking humbly if the school would accept them in lieu of money.
To the credit of the school administration, they accepted the payment. “We understood her situation,” said one of the school staff members who wished to remain anonymous. “This is not the first time families in this community have offered farm produce or livestock as payment. What touched us deeply was her humility and unwavering commitment to ensuring her children stayed in school.”
In many rural communities across Nigeria, especially in the northern and central states, parents face significant economic challenges. Formal employment is often scarce, and many households depend on subsistence farming or small-scale trading to survive. When school fees become due, families are forced to make difficult decisions — sometimes pulling children out of school, or, as in this case, offering what they can in exchange.
This mother’s act has not only sparked emotional reactions online but has reignited conversations around the accessibility of education in underprivileged communities. Many Nigerians took to social media to commend the woman’s resolve and also to call on the government to increase support for rural education.
“This is both beautiful and heartbreaking,” one social media user wrote. “It shows the strength of our mothers, but also the painful reality that education is still not truly free or accessible to all.”
Another user commented, “She deserves applause. She deserves help. Let’s come together and support families like this. No child should be denied education because of money.”
Advocates for educational reform have also seized the opportunity to highlight the need for more inclusive policies. “This story should prompt policy makers to rethink how we support low-income families,” said Adamu Lawal, an education rights advocate based in Minna. “If a woman has to pay with hens, it tells you something about the barriers to education in rural Nigeria.”
Calls have now been made for non-governmental organizations, community leaders, and philanthropists to assist the woman and other parents like her. Several individuals have even launched donation drives aimed at supporting the children’s continued education.
While her identity has not been fully disclosed for privacy reasons, the woman has become a symbol of hope and strength. She represents countless parents across the country who, despite their financial limitations, recognize that education is the most valuable inheritance they can give their children.
In a time when many are disillusioned by systemic failures, this story serves as a poignant reminder of the human spirit’s resilience and the unshakable power of a parent’s love. Though she paid in hens, the true price of her children’s education was courage, sacrifice, and unwavering belief in a better future.
