By Enaibo Asiayei
A Delta-based Non-Governmental Organization, Ernest Bebenimibo Foundation, EBF on Monday, October 4, 2021 embarked on “Project Kit-Up To School’, an educational support programme for schools across riverine communities.
The project came as a result of its quest to enable school children have access to quality education and improve reading skills among pupils and students of various primary and secondary schools in riverine communities of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
However, the foundation donated over two thousand notebooks, uniforms, shoes and other items to primary schools across the riverine communities.
Some of the schools visited include: Okpele-ama Primary School, Okpele-ama, Tebujor; Kunpa Primary School, Ubafan, Peppe-ama Primary School, Pepper-ama; Toruyor Primary School, Opuedebubor and Kere Primary School, Egwa communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
The chairman of the foundation, Deacon Ernest Bebenimibo while presenting the items, noted that the gesture was all about putting a little change and smiles on the faces of the pupils and schools starting from the grassroots that have suffered neglect for so long.
The foundation, which has focused on providing basic school needs for children over the last two-years, according to its founder, will continue to put smiles on the faces of less privileged in rural communities of Niger Delta.
The team of Volunteers from EBF was led by the President and Founder, Deacon Ernest Bebenimibo, his wife and co-founder, Loveth, the director-general, Deacon Ogaga Darlington Ossai, director Riverine Communities, Augustina Odudu, Welfare Director, Ms Juliet Seiyefa, Director of Media, Hon Gharvan White Ofuafo and several others.
The Director General, EBF, Ossai Ogaga advised parents to show interest in the education of their children, saying “parents must understand that it is their primary responsibility to cater for the education of their children. Instead of waiting for aides and arms to help their kids parents should engage in any form of odd jobs if possible and see their children through school. Education gives your kids a better chance at Social Mobility.
He appreciated all the donors, sponsors and board of trustee members of the foundation for their support. He urged them to support EDF especially as the foundation intends to reach out to over 5000 kids after phase four is completed.
He called on Government and oil companies to partner with NGOs such EBF to reach those termed “unreached in the Society”.
Project Kit-Up to School 2021, according to the foundation, was designed to assist parents that are struggling to provide uniforms and other educational aid to their children in the rural riverine Communities, to encourage the kids to stay in school and put in their best to become leaders of tomorrow, to brighten the faces of the hopeless kids in riverine communities.
Ossai noted that the project would also give hope to the children schooling in the seemingly inaccessible creeks in Delta riverine Communities, encourage other NGO and well-meaning Individuals to reach out too and to raise the African and Nigerian Statistics of Kids in School rather than Kids out of School.
See photos below:
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