District 404A1 Nigeria of the Lion’s Club International has enrolled no fewer than 50 street children in Ilaje Bariga, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government area of Lagos State in a private school in the riverine community.
The club also distributed about three hundred pairs of school sandals and other items to these out-of-school street children in the area mainly occupied by fishermen. The sum of N100, 000 was paid by the club to the private school, Hope Vision School, where the street children have been enrolled, as tuition fee for a term.
Addressing the street kids and their parents in the premises of Hope Vision School, District Governor, District 404A1 Nigeria, Lion’s Club International, Dr. Ayodele Ajayi, who led the club’s delegation, expressed shock at the utter neglect of the people in the area.
Ajayi told the children and their mothers that one of the cardinal objectives of the club is rendering service to humanity, especially the underprivileged people like them. Speaking through an interpreter, Ajayi’s stressed the importance of education and encouraged the street kids to endeavour to go to school in order to enjoy better living standard.
Ajayi said, “We have come today because of you. You are very important to your community, the country and your society in general. We understand that fishing is your main occupation in this community, but you need education in whatever you do so that you can excel in life. We want you to go to school and become very useful to yourself and your society in the future.”
He told the curious street children that the club had come to distribute scandals to most of them who were not in school. During the distribution of the sandals and other items, members of the club had a tough time trying to control the crowd at the gate as some children and their mothers, who were not around at the beginning, struggled to gain into the venue of the event in order to get their own share.
The children, who were between ages of three and 12, were very happy. Barefooted, most of the children scampered to collect the sandals from the club officials, while their mothers, who were also at the event, watched with keen interest.
Speaking with our correspondent, Ajayi said, “We have visited this community and we have found out that many children, over 300, are not going to school. Many of them are also moving about without shoes. Not only that, their living condition is extremely poor.
“Lions in this area come today to distribute school scandals to over 300 of the children. We are registering about 50 of those children in a semi private school and we are paying their school fees for one term. We are giving a hundred thousand naira (N100, 000.00) to a local school and we believe the money will go a long way to get these children into school.”
The Lion’s district governor stated that the club was not only assisting the children, but also trying to see how it could empower the women so that they could earn some income to assist their children while in school. On the sustenance of the payment of the children’s school fees, Ajayi said, “We have an arrangement for continuity. I’m going to remain the District Governor for the next two terms and the next two governors that will take over from me are also in the community right now, participating in this project. We have agreed that these children must go to school. So, for the next three years these children’s education is guaranteed.”
The School Administrator, Hope Vision School, Pastor Emmanuel Anyanwu, commended the Lions Club for its laudable support and assured that the school would not relent in it its efforts to ensure that the children in the community acquired basic education.
“It is generally a very poor and vulnerable community. Many of these children are fishermen, so they have issues with the ability to place education in the proper perspective. We have been able to reach out to them through different for a, including meeting their leaders. We are impressed with the gesture by Lions Club,” he said.
The participating clubs included Lagos Unique Lions Club, Anthony Village Simon Lions Club, Lagos Anthony Lions Club, Lagos Evergreen Lions Club, Lagos Icon Lions Club, Anthony Village Ruby Stars Lions Club, Gbagada Jasmine Lions Club and Ogudu Prestige Lions Club.
