From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A Non-profit Organization known as Acorn Initiative has paid the sum of N396,000 as registration fee for the 2021/2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination Council (WASSCE) of 22 final year students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue State.
The Foundation which started in 2019, it was gathered, is founded by a United Kingdom based Benue Indigene, John Igoche and has conducted over 35 humanitarian outreaches in the areas of education, skills acquisition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Migration project.
Presenting the cheque to the Principal of the School, Mrs. Dorathy Ganyam on behalf of the students, Igoche who spoke through the Organisation’s Project Director, (Benue Zone), Mrs Mary Ikwue said the gesture was to alleviate the plight of parents who were having economic difficulties in paying the fees for their wards for various reasons.
“We are here to sponsor these students for 2021/2022 WASSC and we hope that this support will go a long way to help them achieve their future dreams of becoming whatever they desire to be.” Igoche said.
Igoche who noted that education is the passport to the future, enjoined the benefitting students to remain focused so that they can achieve their aim in life.
“Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. And always remember that you can be whatever you want to be, achieve all your goals and dreams by just believing in yourself and staying focused.”
On her part, Principal of the School, Mrs Ganyam commended Acorn Initiative for the kind gesture to support the girls further their education and promised that the school would monitor the beneficiaries to ensure that they perform excellently well in the examination.
“It is not easy for a group of people to distinguish themselves and put their resources together to assist by way of charity. The Acorn Initiative has decided to do this. I appreciate the organisation for agreeing to sacrifice to support our students and I pray that God bless all of you abundantly for opting to do this charity to our girls.”
One of the parents, Mr Linus Ityo who noted that the assistance had come at a time when the economy of the country is in bad shape, thanked Acorn Initiative for the gesture and prayed the organization will continue to soar higher so that more students will benefit in future.
A student, Patience Enenche who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, applauded the organisation for giving them hope and assured that they would concentrate on their studies in order to pass their WASSC Examination.
“We express our profound gratitude for this gesture. We are very happy and we pray to Almighty God to Increase your resources to keep doing more for humanity” Enenche said.
It would be recalled that in November, 2020, the Acorn Initiative granted scholarships to about 30 Indigent final Students of Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi worth N500,000 during the 1st edition of the Acorn Initiative Library In Box Scholarship Program.