On Thursday 2 September 2021 over 700 children of widows, widowers and persons with disabilities have been given educational materials and devices by the Human Development Initiatives (HDI) through its Education Trust Fund. While persons with disabilities got wheelchairs, hearing aids, walking sticks and laptops, other students got bags with writing materials, shoes and mathematical sets, among other items. The Executive Director, HDI, Olufunso Owasanoye, said the programme tagged: “Supporting children with back to school kits” became necessary at a time in the country’s life, when education is in dire need of support from all and sundry. According to her, it is a yearly programme by her organisation since 2014.
She made it known that “it is a statement of truth to assert that Nigerian students are an endangered specie, given the myriads of challenges confronting them, particularly in getting through school. This notwithstanding, however, some children (and students) are even the worst hit by prevailing circumstances around the country. They have been described as children in need; that is, children living with disabilities and those who have lost one or both parents.
“Even though challenges are a part of life, however, we must remember that children in-need are more vulnerable to life’s situations than others.”
These children are indeed vulnerable to the economic hardship and widespread poverty in the land, and most of them go on to become educationally disadvantaged. This programme was designed to provide support for these children and show them love, while providing support through our educational scholarship, known as Human Development Initiatives’ Education Trust Fund (HDI-ETF).”
The first lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, a special guest at the event, said education remains the greatest legacy that can be bequeathed to children and the younger generation, as it has been established by experts that there is a symbiotic relationship between the standard of education in any given society and the level of development in such society.