In an effort to encourage and reward heroic acts by youths in the country and further reduce the growing dearth of the quality of education in the country, Dufil Prima Foods plc is set to award scholarships to another set of three heroic children expected to emerge at this year’s edition of the Indomie Independence Day Award for Heroes of Nigeria (IIDA).
Deepak Singhal, chief executive officer, Dufil Prima Foods plc, while speaking at the media briefing announcing the commencement of the 2013 search held at Saffron Restaurant and Bar Victoria Island Lagos established that the IIDA initiative is geared towards ensuring that children aside from been celebrated, have access to quality education.
Singhal noted that every great nation is dependent on the quality of human resources it produces; thus the need to ensure that, responsible corporate organisations work hand in hand in supporting the government so as to boost the quality of education in Nigeria.
This year’s edition of the IIDA would be bigger than the previous years, due to the fact that 3 other outstanding children that have performed exceedingly well in their academics would also be rewarded with academic scholarships.
The scholarship is applicable to candidates who have passed the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Thus a total of 6 children would be rewarded at the event
According to him, “The previous 5 editions of the initiative have recorded numerous success stories as the awardees now have better quality education, needed to become great in life. It gives us great joy to impact upon the lives of children that have totally lost hope, by equipping them with access to better education for a guaranteed bright future.”
On his part, Tope Ashiwaju, public relations manager, Dufil Prima Foods plc, reveals that the initiative has gone a long way in impacting on the lives of children, because they now have access to what is needed for them, to become great in life, which is quality education. The IIDA initiative is also an eye opener to other corporate organisations on the need to invest in the education of the Nigerian child.
“The IIDA initiative which applies to children of 15 years and below, who have risked their lives in the face of grave dangers, in order to save and impact lives at the detriment of their own lives, thus making society a better place, is a CSR scheme that rewards children with scholarships, to further their education,” he said.
Ashiwaju further said the 3 brave children who emerge most outstanding, would be awarded this year with N1,000,000, N750,000 and N500,000 which would be given out to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners respectively, while the other children that have excelled academically would also be rewarded with scholarships.
KELECHI EWUZIE
