30th January, 2024
By Taiwo Okanlawon
A non-government organisation based in Lagos, Smiles for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Initiative, has marked this year’s International Day of Education in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, Lagos State University at the University Campus, Ojo.
The groups kitted up some indigent pupils from public primary and secondary schools within the Iba LCDA in Ojo.
Speaking at the occasion, the Founder and Team Lead of the organisation, said the act was part of the SOVCI Streets To School Project which aims at supporting poor and vulnerable children in schools.
He said that the vision was born out of the conviction that failure to educate a child is to impoverish him and make him vulnerable thereby exposing him to all forms of exploitation.
He decried the high rate of out-of-school pupils in Nigeria which is put at over 20 million and said that more need to be done by all stakeholders to see that these children are identified and empowered to go to school.
The SOVCI Streets To School Project not only aims at enrolling out-of-school pupils but also ensure that the indigent ones already in schools do not drop out as a result of lack of support.
Hence, the organisation seeks to identify such pupils to give them the necessary support.
Speaking on the them of this year’s celebration, Learning for Lasting Peace, the keynote speaker at the event, Prof. E. L Adebayo spoke of the important role that learning plays in promoting Peace within the society.
