No fewer than 800 children have been empowered by the Flickers of Hope Foundation (FOH), through its ‘Back2school’ project aimed at taking children off the streets.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Mrs Omolara Adedeji, said this at the maiden edition of Pa Alfred Shonubi Annual quiz competition organised for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in Abuja on Saturday.
Adedeji said that about 900 women were also sensitised in 16 communities on the need to see that the girl-child is enrolled in school and completes her education.
According to her, the FOH is a project under the back2school project, which aims at taking more children off the street and back to school.
”In 2018, we launched project back2school. We did this by identifying children in this category who had completed their basic school.
”We enrol them and sponsor them through the three years of study in JSS, as well as providing them with empowerment programmes. Monthly leadership training is also conducted for beneficiaries of the project.
”We also have the FOH scholarship fund which involves the creation of a personalised scholarship fund by individuals where the fund is named after them or their loved ones,” she said.
She added that the foundation also launched the Lift Empowerment Project to support the tuition fees of students in tertiary education level.
She said that students from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Federal University of Technology, Akure, had benefitted from the initiative.
Adedeji, while saying that the foundation was established to educate, empower through research, capacity building, advocacy and networking for a better society, charged the students not to allow their backgrounds limit them.
She called on stakeholders, high-ranking personalities and group advocates to chart a new course in the education sector by exerting influences, resources, and time in containing the outrageous number of out-of-school children in the society.
Also, the Director in charge of JSS, FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Hajia Ramatu Nusa, encouraged the students to put their best into their academics for a brighter future.
Nusa, who was represented by the Education Officer in UBEB, Lola Oloruntoba, commended the organiser for their role towards the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG 4) as well supporting quality education.
”Education becomes power when we put it to good use. So as children, you must show that you are the leaders of tomorrow with appropriate use of the education you have,” she said.
Five schools took part in the quiz competition and were examined on Mathematics, English and General questions.
The schools are: JSS Bwari 1, JSS Bwari central, JSS Peyi, JSS Tundun Fulani and His Excellency School.
At the end of the competition, JSS Peyi came top while JSS Tudun Fulani and JSS Bwari 1 came second and third respectively .