The Centre for Children’s Health Education Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE Nigeria), a Non-Governmental Organization, has equipped more than 3000 vulnerable young people in rural and underserved communities across Nigeria with academic and vocational skills.
The annual summer school programme hosted by CEE-HOPE since 2016, held this year in 10 centres across six states, namely Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Ebonyi, Benue and the FCT-Abuja, where the youthful beneficiaries were also mentored, to prepare them for a bright future.
While some of the centres featured computer and coding lessons, others had pastries, catering classes, arts classes, soap making, make-up, shoe making, braiding, barbing amongst other skills depending on the individual centre’s preferences and community’s needs.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of one of the centres at Irede Island in Lagos which had about 500 children participating at the two-week programme, the Founder/Executive Director of CEE-HOPE Nigeria, Betty Abah, expressed her delight at how far the organisation’s summer school programme had grown since its inception about a decade ago and the impact it has had on lives thus far.
“This is the 10th edition of our annual summer school, and I am excited that it keeps getting better. The initiative aims at strengthening the educational and skills capacities of underprivileged and at-risk children in rural and marginalised communities across Nigeria.”
“The beneficiaries are not just being empowered academically but are also gaining life skills that promote financial independence,” she said.
She noted that young girls who learn these skills can afford personal essentials like sanitary products, while young men can utilize these skills to avoid being lured into crimes while focusing on their academics.
Highlighting the importance of targeting young people in underserved communities, Abah mentioned that “the Nigeria youth demographics make up about 70% of our population, and we cannot talk about empowering them without including those from socially and economically marginalised backgrounds and on whom we should throw much investment searchlight. This programme gives them a sense of belonging and prepares them for the future, she added.
Beyond the current strides of the initiative, Abah said, “our vision is to reach tens of thousands, even millions of young people across Nigeria. They need this empowerment because they are the future of the country, and they must get it right.”
While commending CEE-HOPE Nigeria for their continuous support and hosting the summer school in Irede Community, Onisiwo Island, Apapa Lagos, Mr Ayuba Salami, the Summer School Coordinator in the community expressed appreciation to CEE-HOPE and the individual donors that have made the initiative possible and sustainable.
Mr. Salami acknowledged that the summer school has had a notable impact on young people in the community and hopes such efforts can continue in the coming years.
Earlier, at the Ifelodun-Oke-Ira Centre in Lagos, the host and Coordinator, Pastor Okeson Oche Onu, appreciated CEE-HOPE Nigeria for its generous support which has helped nearly 300 students at the centre at this year’s programme. Earlier, Ms Ronke Ige, a lawyer and activist, had a mentoring session at the Oke-Ira session where she inspired them on the need for career excellence, focus and good behaviour.
Across the summer school centres, students from primary to secondary schools were trained by teachers and entrepreneurs engaged by CEE-HOPE provided the free lessons and skills training for two weeks. Besides receiving academic and vocational trainings, some new aspects such as coding (Makoko centre), solar technology fabrication (Irede) and physicals such as aerobics (Mowe, Ogun State centre) and cricket sports in collaboration with the National Cricket Foundation (Abuja centre).
Abah thanked the supporters of this year’s summer school programme namely Mal and Carol, Yellow Rose LaunchPad and Omawunmi and called on institutional funders to support the annual programme.
