Foundation gifts over 400 students with school items in Ogun
Dolly Children Foundation has rounded off this year’s summer program by presenting over 400 students, drawn public schools, with school bags, school shoes, socks and stationeries, to enable them return for the new academic session.
The students were selected from the six public schools in Makogi, Magboro, Ibafo, Mowe environs in Ogun State.
Venue was at the Obafemi Owode Local Government Primary School, Makogi, Magboro, Ogun State.
During the month-long programme, aside from engaging the children in academics, read aloud sessions and leadership trainings, they were also exposed to how to make reusable pads, turbans, hair making and gele tying.
Other skills acquired include baking, tye & dye, bead, soap making, coding – designed a game, .
The children were also taught etiquette and gender based violence trainings, sex education and how to protect themselves from rape.
At the end of the programme, they also embarked on an excursion trip to the Lekki Conservation Center.
The programme was sponsored by Gamaliel & Onosode Foundation (GAMSU).
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, GAMSU Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Toyin Olanrewaju stated that as an organisation that is practically about improving education in Nigeria, they decided to work with Dolly Children Foundation because of their firm belief in consistently helping the child, the student, the teacher and then the community, which they realised Dolly Foundation was also passionate about and that they will impact the community.
She expressed fulfillment in seeing the joy and happiness on the over 400 children, as they were presented with the various school items.
According to her, this will make the organisation want to do more in future.
“I feel fulfilled seeing the smile on these children’s faces. You know that feeling you get when you’ve achieved something that will spur you to want do more.
“We thank and congratulate Dolly Foundation for a job weldone.” She said.
Also speaking, Ireti Ogunlesi, Chairman of Dolly Foundation advised parents not put their children down if they dont do well academically, after seeing the dexterity of many of the children in the skills they were exposed to.
“No child is useless. Don’t make your child who did not score an A* in Mathematics feel bad. Find out other areas they are good at. Dont make your child it is over, just because you cant afford their school feels. Don’t stop pushing. It’s by not stopping to push that some parents found out about the foundation and they sent their children to be part of it. Today, they are being rewarded.”
To the government, Ogunlesi urged them to put their weight behind education. “They should stop playing lip-service to education. When we talk about education, we are not just talking about the four walls of the classroom, we need artisans. People say Nigeria is a poor country. No it is not. Nigeria is just country that does not know how to distribute her wealth appropriately. Let the government distribute wealth appropriate and then we will see things change for the better.”
Earlier, Adedolapo Osuntuyi, Executive Director, Dolly Children Foundation, revealed that the programme was designed as an after-school programme to help the children, especially those in public schools.
“With our the years of working in different communities, we found out that many of these children, after the long vacation, find it settling back in school when they return for the new session. Some of them may have forgotten all they learnt the previous session and so find it difficult to get co-ordinated at the start of the new session.
“Some of them, we also notice don’t do well academically. So the program enables one to be with them, of not one-on-one, then at least in small numbers, so we can pay more attention to them and we can then help in their area of difficulty.
“We also decided it will be worth the while for them to acquire new skills because not everyone in intellectually minded.”
Other partners were RCCG MY Fathers’ House Salford, Truss Empowerment Foundation, Protect Her From Rape and a host of others.
Guests present at the closing off ceremony were The Olu of Makogi, Oba Babatunde Shonola and his Olori and community heads.
Dolly Children Foundation is a non-profit organisation set up to bring affordable education to Nigerian children.
DCF engages in sponsoring children who lack financial resources to have a chance at education, organises training for teachers, renovate schools, amongst others
.