An education and mentoring foundation, Daudu Olurotimi Williams(DOW) has distributed textbooks, notebooks, uniforms, sandals and branded school bags to 50 indigent students selected for 12 public secondary schools in the Akoko area of Ondo State at the second edition of its scholarship outreach program.
The foundation also paid the school fees of the same beneficiary students for the 2022/2023 academic session who converged on Mount Carmel Girls’Secondary School, Ikare-Akoko.
While speaking on Sunday during the presentation of the educational materials to the students, the founder of the scholarship foundation, Olurotimi Williams-Daudu Esq. explained that all the beneficiaries were indigent but brilliant students selected from the 12 public secondary schools to assist them to achieve their visions in life.
Williams-Daudu disclosed that he decided to package the scholarship to help poor students so that their big dreams of becoming great in life could come to reality irrespective of their backgrounds.
He said: “This is the second edition. What we intend to do is to look for Nigerians who are of like mind, corporate bodies that are interested in expanding access to education that we would partner with.
“If you’re interested to be of assistance to any of the several indigent students anywhere in the country, you just let us know the school of your interest. It doesn’t cost more than N35,000 or there is about to train a student in a year.
“As we speak, we already have people in Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina and Ekiti who said they are interested in sponsoring indigent students in different schools.”
The Chief Registrar of the National Industrial Court charged the students to be of good behaviour and study hard to make their dreams come true, appealing to their parents to give them time to study and encourage them to see their education as a priority.
Dr.(Mrs.) Funmilola Williams-Daudu, who supported her husband’s initiative, charged the beneficiary students to be good ambassadors of the DOW Foundation by studying hard to be their best.
She said the only way they could pay the founder back is by progressing in terms of gaining admission into higher Institutions and becoming professionals such as medical doctors, lawyers, engineers and others in the future.
At the event, Dr.(Mrs.) Williams-Daudu announced that she has adopted the Senior Girl of Mount Carmel Girls’ Secondary School, Orojo Deborah, who was not present at the venue.
The Senior Girl of her set at the same school disclosed, “The moderator talked about the Senior Girl. She’s very brilliant. She was at Ikaram for the yearly quiz competition we usually organise and she did well. She does her things without the support and nobody to train her.
“Hearing that and looking back into my life, there was a time I was like that. My brother rose and gave me life. So, hearing that I just can’t keep it, I decided to put it as a special adoption so that, who knows, she can be the next Funmi of tomorrow. I want to replicate myself.”
In his remark, the Zonal Director of, the State Teaching Service Commission, Mr. Gbogiaran James admitted that government could not fund education solely anymore.
He lamented the rate of infrastructure deficit in public schools, noting that most school libraries were full of obsolete and irrelevant textbooks to the current global reality.
Gbogiaran appreciated the sponsor for giving a helping hand to the children, calling on other philanthropists to emulate the gesture.
Mrs. Folaranmi Christiana, whose child was among the beneficiaries said: “We thank you for rising for our help. My child is at Ajuwa Grammar School. The scholarship came in the nick of time for me. I had nothing to pay my child’s fees.
I am a widow for the past four years.”
