HOFOWEM DISTRIBUTES FOOTWEAR TO PUPILS IN LAGOS STATE SCHOOLS
Wife of the Lagos State Governor and Founder, Hope for Women in Nigeria Initiative, HOFOWEM, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode on Tuesday flagged off the distribution of 50,000 shoes and branded socks to Primary one pupils of public schools across the State.
The distribution exercise tagged “Project Bright Steps” and flagged off at Cherubim and Seraphim Primary School, Majidun – Ikorodu, is the 2018 edition of the HOFOWEM pet project, aimed at boosting the morale of children and sensitising society on the importance of pupils’ welfare in getting the best out of them in their academic pursuits.
Flagging off the distribution, Mrs. Ambode said getting the best from education begins with proper dressing to school, saying that the Foundation had observed with pain that many pupils are not usually properly dressed to school, while some others wear bathroom slippers or go barefooted.
The First Lady stated that such daily appearance for school activities certainly could not guarantee them the desired self-esteem and confidence to excel in their academic work.
“Our Foundation had on pondered this and settled for the mass procurement and distribution of shoes and socks to the pupils, at least to prepare them for school. By the grace of God, upon the huge success recorded in the first edition, we are flagging-off the second edition of the project today, with a plan to distribute no less than 50,000 shoes and branded socks, to the primary one pupils of public schools across the State”.
“The distribution centres are Agege, Maryland, Yaba, Ojo, Amuwo Odofin, Epe, Lagos Island and Ikorodu which doubles as the flag-off venue. This arrangement is for easier accessibility to the various schools and the benefitting pupils,” she disclosed.
Mrs. Ambode noted that “Project Bright Steps”, which saw a total of 175,000 shoes and HOFOWEM-branded socks distributed to Primary One to Three Lagos State public school pupils during its first edition in February 2017 was planned as an annual event and would continue in schools within the State.
While thanking all public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies, who had assisted HOFOWEM in its humanitarian endeavours, she urged the pupils to be serious with their academic work and avoid making excuses of challenges and limitations.
“You can learn something new every day if you listen attentively in class. And with strong determination, you can overcome all barriers to achieve your desired dream. Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet to the ground, do small things, in great ways. It is about your attitude of mind,” she counselled.
Speaking at the event, Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr. Ganiyu Sopeyin said the distribution of the shoes and socks would take place in all 1,016 public primary schools across the State. He said pupils in Primary One to Three benefitted from the distribution in 1,010 primary schools last year.
Commending the First Lady for the gesture, Sopeyin added that the exercise was a testimony that the present administration’s clarion call to Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, was yielding the needed synergy between government and well-meaning Nigerians to raise the standard of basic education in the State.