Kunle Adelabu
An Ikorodu – based social, community and humanitarian group, Auckland Youth, has kicked off its yearly community projects initiative by visiting the Aga Primary School, Ikorodu, to give back packs (school bags) to 30 pupils to aid their education.
The initiative, which was tagged, ‘Auckland Youth Back –To – School’, was introduced for this first time this year to add to the group’s annual programmes.
Auckland Youth, which has been existing since 2000, was registered in 2004, and has made it a point of duty to embark on community-based programmes in order to give back to where the community where its members grew up and reside.
At the presentation of the educational material at the Aga Primary School founded in 1982, and presently has over 500 pupils, the group pledged to return to the school to do more for the kids.
Mrs Ibitoye Funmilayo, one of the teachers who represented the Head Teacher of the school, thanked the youth group for the love that was extended to the children many of whom she said are unable to eat or get necessary educational materials.
She described the Auckland Youth’s gesture as a stepping stone to a greater height.
“We thank you for these great things and the love being expressed to the children. We pray that as you do this, God will reward you abundantly”, she said.
“This is indeed a show of love, because some of these children find it hard to eat and get educational materials. They don’t even have books and those with books put them in nylon. So, these bags would go a long way in assisting their education.
“We pray that this laudable initiative will continue and God will help you and keep providing for you so that you will continue to provide for these children.
“Your gesture today will be a stepping stone, because you are going to greater heights. As you are doing it for these children, I pray that they too will grow up and become people that will give back to the society in future”, she said.
Chairman, Auckland Youth, Mr Abayomi Akeem, presenting the educational support for the pupils, said that the group is giving back to the children because of the importance that they placed on education.
“We are a registered club based in Ikorodu and we have been embarking on many community programmes over the years, but this is the first edition of our ‘Back to School’ initiative and we intend to continue with it”, he said.
“Education is life and it is also information. With good education, you can go to many places. Coming to give back to the school is one of our great ideas for this year, because these children are our future. I hope and I pray that among them we will see future Presidents and Governors.
“We are here today to give out in our own little way and on behalf of our elders and Auckland Youth as a whole, we thank the staff and pupils as a whole “, he added.
Abayomi also charged the pupils to be good in school and at their various homes and be serious about their education.
Mr Mobeni, an elder of the group, in his remarks, expressed his happiness at returning to the primary school he left in 1989, and pledged that the group will do more in giving back to schools in Ikorodu.
“I am really happy to be here today to see these children, because I left primary school in 1989. Your submission that many of these pupils find it difficult to have necessary things that they needed is very sad, but we are to give back the little that we have to support them”, he said.
“This is just the beginning, and based on what we have heard, we will go back to see what we can do and come back. Although, Aga Primary School is not the only school that we are targeting. We thank you for allowing us to come into the school to give back to these children”.
He emphasized that the Auckland Youth’s mission and vision is to give back to the society, adding that the group is apolitical.
“We don’t have any political ambition. Our vision is humanity. We believe that government alone cannot do it all, and that we have to support and it is not until you have N100million before you can start to do some things”, he said.
“We know that this is not enough but still, it will go some way for the children “.
Aside the ‘Back – To – School’ initiative, other programmes scheduled by the group for this year are medical outreach, sanitation among others.
