Rotary Club Donates Furniture, Pays Fees For Pupils In Abuja School

The Rotary Club of Abuja Gwarimpa has donated more than 100 tables and chairs to pupils of LEA Primary School, Gwarimpa 1, Abuja, as part of its basic education and literacy project aimed at improving the learning environment for children.

President of the club, Dr. Njideka Kanu, said the intervention followed a needs assessment conducted by the club in the school which it had adopted for community support projects.

Kanu explained that the assessment revealed that many pupils were using uncomfortable furniture that made learning difficult, prompting the club to provide new furniture designed to suit the children’s size.

“During the needs assessment, we noticed that the pupils had tables and chairs that were not comfortable for them. Their legs were hanging off the floor and they were not seated properly, which made learning uncomfortable.

“So, today, we are providing them feet-to-size tables and chairs that will make learning more comfortable and conducive for them,” she said.

She added that the club donated over 100 tables and chairs mainly for pupils in the nursery section of the school, which has about 100 children.

Kanu also disclosed that the club paid school fees for 29 internally displaced persons (IDP) children currently enrolled in the school.

According to her, the club also provided part of the pupils’ school uniforms and sportswear to support their education.

“These children were brought to the school after they were displaced from their homes. Some of them had nobody to pay their school fees or provide basic school needs.

“As a follow-up to our intervention, we have paid the school fees for all 29 of them and also provided part of their school uniforms and sportswear,” she said.

Kanu noted that the club would continue to monitor the projects in the school to ensure they are properly maintained.

She said the club had previously executed other projects in the school, including the provision of toilet facilities and a skills acquisition centre.

Project Coordinator of the initiative, Rotarian Johnbosco Nwoye, said the intervention was inspired by the club’s commitment to improving education and supporting children in need.

He noted that education remains key to building a better society, stressing that the club decided to support the school after observing that some pupils lacked proper furniture for learning.

“We believe that without education, society cannot develop properly. When we visited the school, we noticed that some of the pupils did not have proper tables and chairs.

“So we decided to support them with furniture that will help them learn in a better environment,” Nwoye said.

He added that the club also plans to establish an Interact Club in the school to introduce pupils to the culture of community service and leadership at an early age.

According to him, the club is also considering additional projects in the school, including the provision of a playground and other learning support facilities.

The Head Teacher of LEA Primary School, Gwarimpa 1, Mrs. Abuanekwu Oluwafunmilayo Janet, commended the Rotary Club for the intervention, describing it as a major boost to the school.

She said the furniture would help improve the learning environment, especially for pupils in the early childhood classes.

“We are very happy because it is not easy these days to get the resources to provide these things for our children.

“You can see the pupils smiling and happy. They even paid school fees for some of our IDP children. We are grateful to the Rotary Club for this support,” she said.

Also speaking, a representative of the IDP community, Yakubu Ibrahim, thanked the club for assisting the displaced children and supporting their education.