CEE-HOPE Nigeria, a non-governmental organization based in Lagos, has marked its 11th anniversary and awarded educational scholarships to 110 indigent children in Oke-Ira, Ogba, Lagos State.
The anniversary celebration, which took place at the Oke-Ira Primary School, Ogba, coincided with the 92nd birthday anniversary of CEE-HOPE’s US-based ardent supporter simply known as Mal.
The scholarship award beneficiaries are children that were enrolled in school by CEE-HOPE as part of efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Lagos State. Many of the beneficiaries were brought in from Benue to the Oke-Ira environs by guardians and not put in school previously. That prompted the NGO to start the program almost three years ago, benefitting about 300 children with many already advancing to secondary school. In appreciation of the transformative gesture, the school, two years ago named one of their sporting houses CEE-HOPE’s House.
While addressing the parents and guardians of the school children in attendance, Ms. Betty Abah, the Executive Director of CEE-HOPE Nigeria, buttressed the importance of investing in children, especially girls.
Abah said, “our children are our social security and it is important to invest in them. With our reality, when you invest in your children and wards, you are securing your own future.” She added that investing educationally in girls is an added value as females are natural caregivers and are typically there for their aged parents and relatives when empowered.
Abah also shared her experience as a child who was enrolled in school late because her father did not initially believe in girl education.
She also noted that “apart from God, education is the biggest thing that can happen to anyone. You need to support them and ensure they access education.
“The support that we’re giving to parents today is to support you to meet the needs of your children and ensure they remain in school.”
While responding to comments that some of the children skip school to hawk, Abah appealed to parents to, “let these children remain in school. Hawking when they are supposed to be in school is child abuse.”
She also advised parents and guardians to report issues of child sexual abuse and speak up against any form of violence against the children.
Abah used the opportunity to extend thanks to a USA-based teenager, Chizo Nwokocha, who, every year, with her siblings, raises funds from family, friends and schoolmates to support educationally disadvantaged children through CEE-HOPE
In his response, Mr Anthony Makinde, the Head Teacher of Oke-Ira Primary School commended CEE-HOPE Nigeria for their support to the children and highlighted its significance in tackling out-of-school children.
Mr Makinde congratulated all the parents for receiving the support and appealed that the support be used for the purpose for which it has been given to them.
He recommended that the funds given to the parents could be used to purchase uniforms, sandals or textbooks.
On her part, Mrs. Foluke Adeniji, Education Secretary, Local Government Education Authority, Ikeja, also advised that parents should protect the interests of the children, and added that “these children are our future, whatever you do for these children, you will definitely reap it. You should protect their interests.
The event witnessed about 200 persons in attendance including more than 100 children, about 50 parents and guardians, and about 40 educational personnel including school teachers and officials from the Local Government Education Authority.
Educational materials were also distributed to all the students in attendance. A birthday cake was also cut to commemorate CEE-HOPE’s octogenarian birthday which was that day (January 14th).
