FXTM, an international organisation in collaboration with Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation has donated back-to-school items to students of High Achievers School.
As part of activities to mark this year’s International Day of Charity, the organisations gifted students notebooks, pens, and other school items in preparation for the new school session which commences today.
Chikezie Ezechukwu, programme manager, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, said the organisation is strategic in selecting the school in the community.
“Coming to this community in Isale Akoka is very strategic because of the nature of the environment,” Ezechukwu said. “We have a lot of people who need help, which is why we came here.”
According to him, while the organisation provided school items for students in the school for free, it also made provisions for their parents through a bazaar to get old clothes, shoes and handbags, among a list of other items.
“We have this bazaar where used items are shared for parents of the students in the community, so that people who cannot afford some of these items because of the nature of the economy, can smile at the end of the day,” the programme manager said.
Ezechukwu noted that the event was sponsored by Power Oil, Coca-Cola and the Lagos Food Bank.
He stated that compared to 2023 when the first charity event was held, the 2024 charity event was more elaborate because of support from sponsors.
“This is the first time we’re having a major sponsor and supporting sponsors on board,” he noted.
“The same thing that we did last year, is what we’re doing here, but we just did it more elaborately, adding school bags and other things to make it more glamorous.”
Lower primary students (1-3) were given school bags containing notebooks, pencils, erasers, crayons and rulers. The higher primary students (4-6) had school bags containing notebooks, mathematical sets and pens.
On her part, Adaeze Uzochukwu, education coordinator at Lagos branch of FXTM, said the foundation was founded to help communities and people who are in need afford better lives.
“We are aware that things are expensive globally, this is why the Julia and Andre Foundation in conjunction with FXTM, is trying to empower people who do not have the privileges to go to school,” Uzochukwu said.
She added that the foundation also aimed to help people in health, community development and environmental sensitisation.
“We are glad that we were able to find here because the children not only go to school, but they are going to school off of someone who is also doing something peculiar,” Uzochukwu said.
Seun Awobaju, the founder and creative director of Footprint of David Art, the venue where the free school takes place in the Isale Akoka area of Lagos, said the building also serves as a community meeting place for elders and people.
However, on weekends it’s a theater where people can watch live drama performances and children can learn and train.
“Today we are happy to have FXTM come to bless the children in our community. The students resuming school on Monday are now blessed with school materials; bags, and pencils. We are excited and grateful for them,” Awobaju, who is also the proprietor of Free School, said.
According to him, the free school which runs on the support of individual sponsors and volunteer teachers from both students of the University of Lagos and other community members has been in operation since 2005.
