Ebonyi First Lady gives books, uniforms to 230 orphans, indigent students

Wife of the Ebonyi State governor, Chief (Mrs) Josephine Elechi, has provided educational materials for over 230 orphans, vulnerable children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state.

The education support programme would cover instructional materials like exercise books, textbooks, as well as school uniforms, sandals, sitting forms, school bags, cash and other items necessary for effective learning.

She said the programme which started in the 2010/2011 academic session with increase in the number of beneficiaries to 33 undergraduates, 48 secondary school students and 72 primary school pupils, had the same number of beneficiaries recorded in the 2012/2013 academic session.

The governor’s wife disclosed that she derives joy in providing succour for the less privileged in the state.

She, however, ordered all wives of the 13 local government area chairmen and the coordinators in the state to contribute maximally to enhance the welfare of the orphans and vulnerable members of the society.

According to her, “this occasion is designed to offer succour to orphans and vulnerable children by way of providing them with educational support materials. This programme is part of my pet project, Mother and Child Care Initiative (MCCI) which is aimed at enhancing the well-being of our women and children, as well as other vulnerable members of the society.

“Forty two pupils and 68 secondary school students are benefiting from today’s event, making it a total of 110 and previous 120.

She stated that the beneficiaries of the programme cut across primary, secondary and tertiary levels, noting that the OVC team has been going around the various communities and local government areas to identify more of the OVCs in order to include them in the list of the state government.

She urged the recipients to make effective use of the support in order to guarantee a brighter future for them, admonishing them to ensure that they succeeded in their future endeavours.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Lady Marry Joy commended the wife of the governor for providing succour for the orphans and called on other stakeholders in the state to contribute towards the laudable programme so as to eradicate poverty in the state.

Some of the beneficiaries of the educational materials, Ivoke Emeka, Mbam Michael, Nwenyi Chikwado, Ukamaka Nte commended Mrs Elechi for wiping out their tears by taken up their educational responsibilities.

They called on other well-meaning Nigerians to always support and show love to the less privileged morally, financially and materially to make them to have a sense of belonging in the state and prayed God to give her long life and good health.