By Palang Paul
A Non-profit organisation popularly known as The Blessing Projects has sponsored 50 secondary school students in Miango, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, supporting their continued education.
The programme took place in Miango town, Bassa Local Government Area in Central Nigeria where students, teachers, parents, community leaders, pastors and other stakeholders gathered to mark the initiative.
Project Manager of The Blessing Projects in Nigeria, Dr. Lawrence Zongo, said the initiative was not limited to paying school fees and Junior Secondary Certificate examination (JSCE) costs for the 50 beneficiaries, describing it as part of the organisation’s broader commitment to education and community development.
Zongo said the initiative had entered its third year, noting that The Blessing Project had continued to support students and implement other community-focused projects.
He explained that the project also serves as an advocacy for the right to education, particularly amid concerns over Nigerian government’s failure to guarantee access to education for children affected by insecurity.
According to him, education should not be treated merely as charity but as a fundamental right, as recognised under Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
Zongo further said insecurity and repeated attacks had contributed to thousands of children being out of school in the community, making interventions aimed at keeping children in school increasingly important.
Mr. Awu Monday, a teacher at Crowther Secondary School, one of the schools whose students benefited from the programme, urged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously and remain focused on their academic pursuits.
Monday also expressed appreciation to The Blessing Projects for its intervention and commitment to supporting students in the community.
Chairman of the Miango Youths Development Association (MYDA), Mr. Dilas Gado, commended The Blessing Projects for what he described as its sustained contributions to the community.
Gado said the initiative came at a critical time, particularly as insecurity continues to affect the community, and appealed to the organisation to extend its intervention to adults through adult education programmes.
The keynote speaker, Miss Joana, also commended The Blessing Projects and encouraged the organisation to sustain and expand its interventions, noting concerns over the number of children who have dropped out of school in the community.
Among the beneficiaries, Kellaah Audu, a student of Atinga Memorial High School, expressed appreciation to The Blessing Projects for paying her school fees.
Kellaah promised to work hard academically and make her parents, teachers and the organisation proud.
The initiative highlights the growing role of community-based interventions in helping vulnerable students remain in school, particularly in communities affected by insecurity and displacement.
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