A Non-Governmental Organisation, the Oma Life Rescue Foundation, has unveiled an ambitious 10-year education initiative aimed at enrolling one million Nigerian children in school.
The initiative, known as the Dream Educational Scholarship Project, was launched in Abuja, with the foundation targeting about 100,000 beneficiaries annually through scholarships, mentorship, leadership development, and other educational opportunities.
Speaking at the launch, the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Omanibe Ameh-Sanusi, said the initiative was designed to ensure that no brilliant child is denied access to education because of financial hardship.
She described the project as more than a scholarship programme, saying it represents a national commitment to investing in the future of Nigerian children.
“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. I call on individuals, government agencies, corporate organisations, development partners, and philanthropists to support the initiative,” she said.
READ ALSO: President Tinubu Expands Access to Higher Education
According to her, educating one million children cannot be the responsibility of the foundation alone but requires collective action from Nigerians committed to ensuring that poverty does not deprive children of their dreams.
Ameh-Sanusi urged education stakeholders to contribute through scholarships, mentorship, educational resources, technical expertise, advocacy, internships, policy support, and financial sponsorship.
Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, described the foundation’s decade-long commitment as an act of “moral seriousness.”
He linked Nigeria’s growing number of out-of-school children to challenges related to poverty, displacement, insecurity, flooding, and other socio-economic issues affecting vulnerable families.
The Federal Government pledged to partner with the Oma Life Rescue Foundation by using its social register to identify beneficiaries from vulnerable households across Nigeria.
Doro said the initiative should focus not only on school enrolment but also on equipping beneficiaries with employable skills and creating pathways to sustainable jobs.
He urged the private sector to support the programme through apprenticeships, internships, and employment opportunities, stressing that its success should be measured by improved livelihoods and economic independence.
The foundation also unveiled plans to establish the Oma Life Rehabilitation and Wellness Institute in Abuja to provide rehabilitation, mental health, psychosocial support, vocational training, and healthcare services for vulnerable groups.
It added that partner organisations would help nominate beneficiaries and monitor the scholarship programme.
