By Olere Iluebbey | Project Leader
In 2007, when MIND Foundation commenced its pilot activities in Community Secondary Schools in Rivers State, we clearly underestimated the level of impact that our after-school training programs would have on the children, their families and the community. Testimonials from MIND Kids over time have revealed that apart from ICT competencies, MIND kids have imbibed leadership principles taught in the program and are excelling in other areas of academic endeavors.
A recent testimonial is that of 11-year old Campbell Oribelema Omuboye, a Basic 8 student of State Secondary School, Amadi-Ama who emerged the best student in the ‘Read Aloud Contest’ and the ‘2013 Governor’s Debate Cup Competition’ organized by the Rivers State Ministry of Education for secondary school students across the State.
These events which concluded on the 27th of September, were held at St. Andrews Model Primary School in Port Harcourt and involved students from 23 local government areas in Rivers State. It is an initiative of the Commissioner for Education in Rivers State, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, to develop communication skills in young students so that they can express themselves clearly and confidently. The theme of the 2013 Governor’s Debate Cup Competition was “Education – the Key to Sustainable Nation Building”.
Emerging the best speaker in the Junior Category of the Read Aloud Competition, Campbell was presented with a Laptop and a color printer. He went further to win the 1st prize of an iPad and a scholarship grant of N150,000 in the Governor’s Debate Cup Competition. During their visit to MIND Foundation’s office, Campbell’s father, Mr. Omuboye, expressed his gratitude to MIND for the positive influence on his son.. He went further to say “MIND Foundation has contributed so much to my son’s success today. The eloquence and intelligence which my son displayed today is as a result of the training he has been receiving from MIND. The orientation he has gotten from MIND has helped him now.” Campbell Oribelema is one of the MIND Kids in State Secondary School, Amadi-Ama, he has been in the MIND program for only 1 year.
In over 6 years of providing free learning programs to disadvantaged children in Nigeria, MIND has impacted over 2000 direct beneficiaries and we can truly say that the skills and experiences acquired in the MIND programs have positioned these children for great possibilities in future.
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