Nigeria NGO Winet, Partners Spanish Organization To Award Scholarship To 72 Enugu Students

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Enugu, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, November 26th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A total of 72 female Students of Comprehensive Secondary School, (CSC), Mbulu- Owo, in Nkanu East Council Area of Enugu state, went home smiling, as a non- governmental organization NGO, Women Information Network, (WINET), in partnership with a Spanish body, Mundo Cooperante awarded them Scholarship.

The gesture is part of the Spain based organization, towards ending Child marriage under “the Right to be a Girl project”.

In her speech at the ceremony, held at the school, Executive Director (ED), of WINET, Mrs. Miriam Menkiti, explained that the project is to support parents not to withdraw their female children from school for early marriage following the hardship caused by the dreaded novel COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.

She noted that the Coronavirus outbreak in parts of the globe including Nigeria, had led to the loss of jobs by Parents, adding that the ugly development equally plunged families into severe hardship hence, the scholarship to retain girls in school was initiated by the organizations.

The WINET boss, who spoke via its programme Manager, Chinelo Dim, said “the COVID 19 pandemic brought about economic disruptions in several families all over the world, including Enugu state.

According to her, some parents lost their jobs, while others had their salaries slashed, leaving them incapable of meeting up with family and educational needs of their children.

“Some girls dropped out of school, thereby, leaving them vulnerable to forced marriage, Against this backdrop, Women Information Network (WINET), saw the need to support girls retention in schools by paying their school fees, providing books and other materials to enable them to remain in school.

The WINET (ED), disclosed that “Our project is under the Right to be a Girl- projects to end girl child marriage, funded by Mundo Cooperante of Spain which is providing Scholarship for first term and second term in the 2021- 2022 academic year for seventy female students of Comprehensive Secondary School, Mbulu- Owo.

African Examiner reports that the organization also provided the beneficiaries with assorted writing materials such as notebooks, pen, Mathematical sets, among others.

Mrs Menkiti, hinted that the organization had already paid the beneficiaries first term school fees, adding that “the school principal, Mrs Amaka Anakor, can confirm that.

“Today, we are here to formally announce the scholarship and present the writing materials to the 72 female students. We appeal to the benefitting students to make the best use of the opportunity offered by WINET and Mundo Cooperate to study hard.

“Education is very important for the girl child so, we thank Mundo Cooperante for providing this opportunity.

She further disclosed that Parents of the students have signed letters of commitment not to withdraw any of them from school for marriage or for any other reason until the scholarship ends, announcing that the organization’s monitoring and evaluation officers would be visiting the school to check the progress of the students.

“We wish to appreciate the Enugu state commissioner for Education, professor Uchenna Eze, and the permanent Secretary, Post primary Schools Management Board, (PPSMB), Mrs. Favour Ugwuanyi, who are represented here today.

The Education Commissioner, who spoke through a Deputy Director in his Ministry, Mrs. Francisca Nwokolo, had thanked WINET and her foreign partner for the kind gesture, advising the benefitting students to make good use of the opportunity by taking their studies very seriously.

He however, warned them against immoral acts capable of ruining their lives, stressing that education remains the easiest way they could attain higher heights in life.

Highly elated principal of the school, Mrs. Anakor, also expressed appreciation to (WINET) and the Spanish organization for choosing their school for the intervention, assuring them that she and her teachers will do their best in ensuring that the students do not let them down

She said good morals and discipline remains the watch word of the school under her watch, advising the students, to avoid a act that will lead them into becoming victims of unwanted pregnancy, stressing that, you “must always zip up for your own good

“Always take your studies very seriously so that you won’t be a Source of shame and disgrace to your families, our school and the society at large. Try to be good Ambassadors of your school” she counseled the students.

Monarch of the Community, Igwe Okeke Arum, represented by his Traditional Prime Minister, Chief Christopher Nnachi, joined the school management in thanking the benefactors for the kind gesture.

Some of the benefiting students, Miss Virginia Nnamani and Goodness Nnaji, who expressed their feelings on behalf of their colleagues, pour out their hearts to (WINET) and her funder for remembering the school, assuring them that they will live up to expectation.

The students had during the ceremony, rolled out their school drums for the visitors in appreciation to the gesture.