Aso-Golf Rotary donates 380 school bags to LEA Garki students, 111 receive a scholarship

By blessing Otobong-Gabriel

Rotary Club of Abuja, Aso-Golf, has donated school bags to 380 and awarded scholarships to 111 needy students of Science Model Primary School, Garki, 11, Abuja.

The Chairman of the Rotary Club of Abuja Aso-Golf, Mr. Clement Chinaka, made this known during the club’s outreach with the theme: “Create Hope in the World” held in Abuja.

Chinaka said the projects were part of the club’s contribution to tackling the menace of out-of-school care, adding that Rotary is a global humanitarian organization with the ideals of impacting the immediate needs of communities.

He said the ideals were to help humanity, to make an impact where it is needed most. “That’s why we’re here to lead.

According to him: “Our research team came to inquire and found that some students were unable to pay various fees, as such they would not continue with their studies and would likely be held back in writing their exams, so we have to intervene and pay their school fees to about 111 students, and have also donated school bags to them because we know times are tough and parents are having a hard time.

“So this is our way of reaching the children, with the necessary implication of helping their families. That is why the club had to intervene for the children, so that they could go to school, because education is the basis.

He encouraged other well-meaning Nigerians to help needy children, saying whatever anyone can do to positively impact the next person, we please insist that it be done,” he said.

Also speaking, Rotary Club of Abuja Aso-Golf presidential candidate, Mr Ehi Uwaifo, said the club was impacting the community through its water sanitation and hygiene programme WASH.

“We sponsor projects in the areas of water, health, hygiene, child health and education, among others. This is because education is the equalizer; it is the only way a rich man’s son and a poor man’s son can bridge the developmental gap.

“This is just one of the projects the club plans to implement over a period of time.”

He added: “We looked at the sanitary facilities at Model Science Primary School and discovered that there are problems with both boys and girls using the same toilet. So the next step of our intervention is to separate them and make them more hygienic.

Reacting to this, the Head Teacher of Garki Model Science Primary School, Mr Kashimu Karshi, commended the club for their intervention.

Karshi said the intervention was appropriate and would go a long way in supporting their education.

“I am very happy, especially because this project took place at my school in FCT, about 160 schools within the municipality, and yet the club decided to choose LEA Garki.

“On behalf of the school authority, we are indeed happy with the programme. May God continue to bless you in abundance.”

Some beneficiaries of the intervention thanked the Rotary Club of Abuja Aso-Golf for the kind gestures.

Azizzat Mustapha, a 12-year-old Grade 6 student, said the scholarship she received would help her graduate without stress.

“Thank you for helping us pay our school fees because our parents can no longer afford it and we were almost kicked out for not paying our school fees. This will help us take our education further,” she said.

Another student, Mr. Sani Rabiu, thanked the Rotary club for their kind gesture by providing them with bag and school fees.