From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The joy of some children in Obiaruku, Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, knew no bounds on the occasion of the 61st Independence Day anniversary of Nigeria, as they were given materials to support their education.
The children, who gathered at the Umusume community event centre within the town, took home various school items, including bags, exercise books, textbooks and writing materials, among others.
Miss Face of Humanity Nigeria 2021, Chinyere Believe Ibeneme, who donated the items, said the gesture was part of her ‘back to school’ project.
According to her, the Obiaruku edition was the second in the series and coincided with the nation’s anniversary of independence.
She said the first was held in Warri, where she was nurtured, adding that she decided to take the project to her maternal hometown in Ukwuani, where she was born.
Ibeneme explained that “Project Back-to-School’ was all about encouraging schoolchildren to continue their educational pursuit.
“Education is very much paramount. So, in one way or the other, we try to support them with school materials.
“There are some people we actually pay their school fees for the term, which we intend to make a full scholarship as time goes on.
“So, in this project, we basically support schoolchildren with school items. We go to different schools to give them materials at the beginning of the term. Today happens to be Independence Day. So, we are trying to do it together.
“We have notebooks, textbooks, schoolbags, socks, mathematical sets, pencils, crayons, erasers and lots more.
“There are pack bags containing water bottles or flasks to enable the children take water to school for them to be hydrated. We have snacks as well,” she explained.
Ibeneme noted that Miss Face of Humanity Nigeria was all about showcasing humanity, giving care and support to the less privileged and vulnerable groups.
After her reign as Face of Humanity, the beauty queen said she would sustain the humanitarian project even beyond Delta State, as a way of giving back to society.
“I am from Ukwuani, so it is my own way of giving back to my community. The first edition was done in Warri because I grew up there. So I said let me give back to the immediate community where I was born.
“Hopeful by next term, we will be going to Anambra State because paternally, I am from there. So let me settle where I came from first, then we will throw it open anywhere to other parts of the country.
“Miss Face of Humanity, Nigeria is for one year but this project is my dream. After my reign, I intend to sustain this – distribute school materials and try to pay the school fees of those who can’t afford it,” she said.