Ekiti First Lady renews Scholarship for 50 indigent pupils, distributes School Items
The Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, has charged 50 indigent students benefiting from her educational support scheme to remain focused, disciplined and committed to their studies, urging them not to allow their present circumstances limit their dreams.
Dr Oyebanji gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti while distributing school materials and financial assistance to the beneficiaries under the Renewal Back-to-School Scholarship Programme organised by the Widows and Orphans Hope Support Foundation.
Represented by the Deputy Governor of the state, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, the Governor’s wife described the initiative as one of the key interventions under the Widows, Aged and Orphans Hope (WAOH) programme, aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable women and children.
She said the programme represented a deliberate investment in the future of the beneficiaries, stressing that education remained a powerful tool to transform lives and creating opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
According to her, 19 beneficiaries transitioning from primary to secondary school would receive ₦90,000 each, to be paid directly to their schools to cover feeding expenses in boarding schools, while each student would also receive ₦10,000 as pocket money.
She added that the beneficiaries would receive essential educational and personal items, including sandals, blankets, pillowcases, raincoats or umbrellas, bedsheets, mattresses, canvas shoes, towels, clothing items, pyjamas, mosquito nets, cutlery, torchlights and batteries, reading lamps, handkerchiefs, buckets, washing basins, socks, lockers and chairs.
Other items, she said, included bathroom slippers, sportswear, cupboards, appropriate school uniforms, blue bedsheets and other materials required to make their return to school comfortable and conducive to learning.
Dr Oyebanji said the remaining 31 beneficiaries in primary schools would receive ₦25,000 each for their upkeep, in addition to essential educational and personal items.
She urged the students to study diligently, respect their teachers and guardians, maintain discipline and remain conscious of the responsibilities that come with the opportunity they have been given.
The Governor’s wife reaffirmed her commitment to support and mentor children and young people, noting that the transformative power of education made it imperative for stakeholders like Premium Trust Bank to invest in the development and future of the younger generation.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Widows, Aged and Orphans Hope Support Foundation, Dr Kemi Dairo, said the initiative was designed to ensure that vulnerable children were not denied quality education because of financial constraints.
Dairo said the intervention had given the beneficiaries an opportunity not only to attend school but also to pursue their aspirations with greater confidence and dignity.
“As schools resume this week across Ekiti State, I am delighted to announce another significant intervention approved by Her Excellency to further improve the welfare, discipline, monitoring and academic performance of the beneficiaries”. She said.
She disclosed that all expenses relating to the boarding arrangements of the affected students had been fully settled by the Governor’s wife through the Foundation in partnership with Premium Trust Bank.
According to her, parents and guardians of the beneficiaries are not expected to provide additional items or make financial contributions towards the boarding arrangements, as the Foundation had made provision for the necessary support required for the students to succeed.
Also speaking, a representative of the Managing Director of Premium Trust Bank, Mrs Bolanle Suyi-Aluko, highlighted the importance of supporting vulnerable children and investing in education as a means of strengthening the future of society.
In their goodwill messages, the Chairman Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi; Commissioner for Education, Dr Bimpe Aderiye; and Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Peju Babafemi, called for greater collaboration among stakeholders to provide vulnerable children with opportunities to thrive.
They stressed the need for collective action to build brighter futures for the beneficiaries and raise responsible leaders capable of contributing positively to society.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Darasimi Fadoju expressed appreciation to Dr Oyebanji for the gesture, promising that the beneficiaries would reciprocate the support by taking their studies seriously, maintaining good conduct and becoming worthy ambassadors of Ekiti State.