As schools began a new academic year, JAKIN NGO, a non-governmental organisation, has distributed school supplies to 1000 orphans and vulnerable students from government public primary and secondary schools in 97 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) across Lagos and Ogun States.
These supplies include school uniforms, books, school bags, among other items.
The children received the educational supplies at the NGO’s 14th annual ‘Dress a Child for School’ Project, which was hosted on Friday at the NGO’s office in Lagos’ Yaba axis to commemorate the 2023 Literacy Day.
The project, titled “Promoting Literacy for a World in Transition: Building the Foundation for Sustainable and Peaceful Societies,” was designed to give orphans and vulnerable children who lack the amenities needed to resume school the tools they need to do so.
Over 7,500 orphans and vulnerable children in Lagos State have benefited from the programme since its commencement in 2010, obtaining basic school supplies like new school uniforms, school bags, and books, among other essentials for the start of a new academic session.
A set of stationary, a pair of school sandals, exercise books, and were also given to students.
Aworele Tope, the Head of Facility Management at Purple Maryland Mall, who spoke at the ceremony and praised JAKIN NGO for the achievement, emphasised that education is mostly the answer to the problems that Nigeria is currently experiencing.
He said his organisation was committed to ensuring that vulnerable children leave the streets and get educated.
“We will continue to support them. We want to see as many as possible vulnerable children leave the street and we feel that since education is the solution to most of the issues we are having in the country. It is important that children, especially the vulnerable ones, are given the opportunity to be educated so we will continue to support them, we will continue to ensure that vulnerable children are taken off the street through JAKIN and we are glad that we are part of this,” he said.
On her part, Hannah Adenuga, the representative of Mariteam Limited, who said her organisation is proud of what JAKIN NGO is doing, added that the initiative will help empower the Nigerian child from a very early stage.
Sijuade Oguntayo, from the Gamesville Foundation, urged students to take their education seriously, emphasizing that education was the only way the young could secure their own future.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Mrs. Olubukola Adebiyi, President, JAKIN N.G.O who detailed that 465 vulnerable households benefited from the initiative, thanked all philanthropists and organizations that supported the project despite the tight economic situation.
She urged school students to stay focused as they resumed a fresh academic session.
“I am indeed grateful to all individuals, organisations, groups, faith-based organisations and businesses that donated to make this grand project possible despite the current economic meltdown,” Mrs Adebiyi said.
Mrs. Adebiyi commended Falcon Corporation, Gamesville Foundation, Prayer Foundation (UK), Mariteam and other organisatios that supported the initiative.