Nigerian-American actress and singer, also known as ‘Queen of the North’, Lisa Yaro, has renovated school buildings and made donations of educational materials for Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).
The Humanitarian artiste handed the renovated classrooms for both children and adult education, notebooks and school uniforms to the IDPs at their camp in Durunmi area on Friday in Abuja.
Lisa Yaro said the gesture was part of her ‘Back to School Project’, an educational intervention initiative geared towards ensuring that out-of-school children get education.
“The first time I came here, I saw what was needed, I saw a school that was shut down, so I made a promise that I will have the school reopened.
“I am pleased to announce that we are reopening the school today and we are staffing it with teachers as well as uniforms and blackboards for them to learn.
“For me education is very important,and I want to be a vessel to show people that no matter how big or how small, you can always give back.
“The government cannot do it alone, so we all have to do our own parts and by me doing my part, it is my hope that it will inspire somebody else to do their own.
“We are employing teachers and paying them for the first year and I will renew it again,and Like I said, this is an initial seed that I am planting.
“It is my hope that other people will continue to plant seeds as well and we shall have a beautiful garden in this lives,” she said.
In his remark, Mr Idriss Halilu, Coordinator and Spokesman for the IDPs camp, commended Queen of the North for her show of compassion and love towards the less privileged.
(NAN)
According to him, the schools were shut down for some years now because of lack of remuneration for teachers and lack of studying materials for children.
Halilu therefore called on Nigerians of good will and leaders, especially the FCT authorities to pay adequate attention to the welfare of IDPs.
“The school has been closed down since 2017,but today ,we are happy that somebody has reached out, refurbished it, bought uniform, books and furniture for us.
“As I speak, the IDPs’ food come from individuals, 99 percent of the clothes we wear come from individuals, and ignoring the IDPs will not speak well for the future of this country,” he said.
Also, speaking, Mrs Liyatu Ayuba, Women Coordinator of the camp, said : “Many people do come here to make promise and they are not fulfilling the promise.
“But our Queen Lisa has fulfilled her promise for us, as she told us that she is going to repair the school for our children and bring uniforms and bring books and even the teachers.
“They asked us why the teachers are not coming to school always, and we said it is because of the transport fare that they are not coming always.
“ We will not go back to be victim of Boko Haram again, so I am calling on Nigerian government, let us join hand together to the train these children so that they will be the leaders of tomorrow,” she said.(NAN)
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