…give scholarships to 100

By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR

A Nigerian-based not-for-profit organisation has concluded the primary phase of its educational intervention project in Cross River.

Val Orphanage and Educational Foundation, a pet project of Valerie Osuake Omini (nee Valerie Eyoma Asuquo) embarked on the Girl Child & Boy Education Project in Cross River with emphasis, at this primary phase, on two local government areas of Odukpani and Yakurr LGAs.

The event which took place in four primary schools, with three in Odukpani and one in Ekori community in Yakurr LGA between 21st and 22nd March 2023, saw the project impacting about  500 pupils according to estimates.

In Odukpani, the project saw the distribution of over 295 pairs of sandals to indigent and orphaned pupils (who came to school barefooted or with tattered foot wears).

The beneficiary pupils were drawn from St. Patrick Primary School, Adiabo Ikot Ndo; Government Primary School, Akim Akim; and St. Theresa Primary School, Odukpani all in Odukpani local government areas (LGAs),while writing   materials including exercise books eraser, pen, and sharpener were distributed to over 250 of them.

Over 100 pupils from  Ekori community, Government Migrant Primary School, Ekori Beach, Yakurr LGA got scholarship which  included paying of three terms school fees, First School Leaving Certificate, FSLC Examination Fees as well as  donating of writing materials amongst other  to indigent pupils in this rural communities’..

Speaking with Vanguard shortly after the exercise , Founder of the Foundation , Mrs Valerie Omini represented Mr Effiok Ita Nyok explained that she embarked on the project “the Girl child and Boy Education” to encourage both gender to get equitable education and equality in the learning process.

‘I embarked on it in mostly the rural area of Cross River State because most poor people live in the rural areas and they are faced with a lot of challenges such as unemployment, high level of illiteracy, extreme poverty, poor infrastructures and low social interaction. The project is aimed at encouraging the parents and pupils to get basic education,” she said.

Reacting to the gesture by the foundation, the head teacher of St. Patrick Primary School, Adiabo Ikot Ndo, Odukpani, Evang. Augustina Effiong Ita who expressed gratitude observed that the pupils who are largely indigent homes will be positively impacted.

” What you have just done today, the children who are not in school today will regret ever staying away from school, you know children being who they are, they will feel you will keep on coming, the turn out from tomorrow will be impressive, some of them will not want to stay back from school again,” Mrs Ita said.

On his part, Mr Ofor Itam Bassey the headteacher of Government Migrant Primary School, Ekori Beach, admitted that it is difficult for majority of parents of wards to pay school fees.

“The gesture by the foundation is impactful, you see the smiles on the faces of the parents, they are very happy,”he said.

Vanguard learned that the second phase of the foundation’s educational intervention will be at Akpabuyo and Bakassi LGAs until every school in all the 18 LGAs of the state are impacted.