BY ELOHOR FOGHOLA
Ernest Bebenimibo Foundation has donated notebooks , school bags, mathematical sets, and other learning materials to pupils and students of Okerenkoko Primary and secondary schools in Warri South West local government area, Delta state
Presenting the items to the students the president and founder of the foundation, Deacon Ernest Bebenimibo, reaffirmed his commitment to supporting education in riverine communities, adding that the foundation had been dedicated to the charity project in the last five years when it came into existence.
He also gave out 100 pieces of wrappers to widows and aged women in the area
Bebenimibo, who hails from Okerenkoko said the initiative was never politically motivated but a personal mission to give back and add value to educational pursuits in the country.
“When we started this foundation, some people said it was politically motivated. Today, five years have passed. We have reached not only Delta State but also Edo and Ondo State. This anniversary is significant, and we are celebrating by continuing our mission to support young learners,” he said.
“I studied in this same school with just one notebook, barefooted and without a school bag. Many parents here still struggle to afford school materials for their children. Some children follow their parents to fish to raise money for their notebooks when they should be in school. We are addressing this with our reach-out. The younger generation in the Niger Delta should not suffer the same challenges we did. That is why, every academic session, we provide school materials to encourage these children to focus on their studies.”, he said.
Encouraging the students, he advised: “During school hours, no child should be in the river fishing with their parents. Face your studies, work hard, and become great in life.”
A Junior Secondary School 2 student of Okerenkoko Secondary School, Miss Ogagaria Ruth, expressed gratitude for the foundation’s consistent support.
“Deacon Ernest Bebenimibo has been instrumental in making Okerenkoko Secondary School a NECO examination center. We appreciate his efforts in providing educational materials to students like us,” she said.
Also speaking, the Head Teacher of Okerenkoko Primary School and Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Delta State Chapter, Ese Ovhorokpa, lauded the foundation’s intervention.
This initiative is highly commendable. It eases the financial burden on parents and encourages students to take their education seriously,” Ovhorokpa stated.
5000 notebooks, 500 school bags, mathematical sets, and 100 pieces of wrappers were among the items donated at the colorful ceremony.
Bebenimibo, who hails from Okerenkoko said the initiative was never politically motivated but a personal mission to give back and add value to educational pursuits in the country.
“When we started this foundation, some people said it was politically motivated. Today, five years have passed. We have reached not only Delta State but also Edo and Ondo State. This anniversary is significant, and we are celebrating by continuing our mission to support young learners,” he said.
“I studied in this same school with just one notebook, barefooted and without a school bag. Many parents here still struggle to afford school materials for their children.
Some children follow their parents to fish to raise money for their notebooks when they should be in school. We are addressing this with our reach-out.
The younger generation in the Niger Delta should not suffer the same challenges we did. That is why, every academic session, we provide school materials to encourage these children to focus on their studies.”, he said.
Encouraging the students, he advised: “During school hours, no child should be in the river fishing with their parents. Face your studies, work hard, and become great in life.”
A Junior Secondary School 2 student of Okerenkoko Secondary School, Miss Ogagaria Ruth, expressed gratitude for the foundation’s consistent support.
“Deacon Ernest Bebenimibo has been instrumental in making Okerenkoko Secondary School a NECO examination center. We appreciate his efforts in providing educational materials to students like us,” she said.
