From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
A non-governmental organization, Obi Azodo Foundation (OAF), has disbursed funds and education materials to beneficiaries of the its annual scholarship scheme in Anambra State.
Now in its seventh year of touching lives, the OAF reaches out to the poor and needy through its scholarship and empowerment schemes to help alleviate their plight.
Held at the Development Civic Centre, Ogbunike, Oyi LGA, beneficiaries smiled home with various cash awards for the tuition fees and other education support materials.
With over 50 persons on its payroll, the foundation in its scholarship scheme disbursed N150,000 each to seven undergraduates, N12,000 each to 10 secondary school students and N7,000 each to 10 primary school pupils, mainly for the payment of their one year school fees.
Chairman, OAF, Chief Obi Azodo, said access to education remains the right of every child, which a lot of them have been denied due to financial challenges hence the foundation initiated the scholarship scheme to give students financial support.
Azodo, who frowned at the academic performances of some of the previous beneficiaries, noted that a lot of them do not take their studies serious. He stressed that the foundation would only support those who are committed to their studies while advising the beneficiaries to utilize the opportunity given to them for a better future.
Coordinator of the foundation, Dr. Tony Isizoh, said the beneficiaries were randomly selected from various villages in Ogbunike, adding that the foundation offers scholarship to students at all levels and is willing to sponsor students from primary to tertiary level, so long as the students are focused and committed to their studies.
Isizoh charged the beneficiaries to take their studies serious, attend classes as the foundation monitors their results and academic performances.
He disclosed that the OAF continues to increase its scope and duration of scholarship awards, noting that another mega award that would encompass more beneficiaries will also hold towards the end of the year.
Some of the scholarship beneficiaries, Chisom Obigwe, a final year student, Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Nonye Okoye, a 200 level students of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe; Chisom Mbamalu, a JSS student; Chisom Ositadinma, a Primary four pupil and a parent, Mrs. Nkechi Azodo, recounted the difficulties they faced in furthering their studies and thanked the foundation for reaching out to them.