From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ahead of the school resumption, a Non-governmental Organization, Treasured Points of Light Foundation in partnership with the Spouses Forum, Nigeria Society of Engineers, Abeokuta Branch, at the weekend empowered 450 primary and secondary school pupils in Akinale Community of Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
At the event, tagged Back-to-School Outreach Programme, the Foundation gave out 10 scholarships to deserving children and other essential items to the students, including school bags, shoes, lunch bags, food flasks, water bottles, and stationery.
Speaking during the presentation of cheques and other educational materials to the beneficiaries on Saturday, the president of the foundation, Damilola Onebamhoin, said the initiative is aimed to support and encourage children from the less privileged backgrounds in the area of education.
She added that the effort was intended to encourage the beneficiaries back to school, especially in the face of the nation’s current economic situation.
She pointed out that “Many things are actually discouraging, we have people dropping out of school randomly but in our own little way, we want to encourage a child back to school.”
Onebamhoin, however, urged parents to value and put priority on their children, stressing that regardless of the current economic situation the educational development of the child is important.
She added that the Foundation would expand its scholarship scheme to capture more beneficiaries.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Onebamhoin, “don’t focus on the limitation but look at the bright side; we have people who didn’t have shoes while they were growing up, but today, they are engineers, governors and even presidents. So you can be anything you set out to be, don’t focus on what you don’t have but rather look inwards at what you have”.
On her part, President, Spouses Forum, Nigeria Society of Engineers, Abeokuta Branch, Ronke Idowu, said the Forum decided to partner with the Foundation because of the premium they place on education.
“Education has shaped us and our husbands who are engineers, with that, we need to empower the society including the children so they can have a brighter future and be more educated. We need more female engineers as well as male engineers”, Mrs Idowu submitted.
