COMMISSIONING OF BETHESDA NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL, BARIGA

In line with the vision to establish schools in poor communities, a Bethesda Nursery and Primary School in the Ago – Egun Community, Bariga was commissioned on the 5th of December 2009. The ceremony had in attendance, various stakeholders of the Ago – Egun community, sponsors and partners of Bethesda.

FIRST SET OF PUPILS RESUMED JANUARY 11, 2010

Just a few months ago, none of the parents in the Ago Egun village dreamed their children would ever have an opportunity for a free and quality primary education. The Bethesda Nursery and Primary School, Bariga resumed academic activities on the 11th of January, 2010 with twenty one (21) Children in the Basic One class and five members of staff.

WITH LOVE, FROM FRIENDS (WLFF) UK VISITS BNPS BARIGA

With Love, From Friends (WLFF) is a UK-based not for profit organisation dedicated to the advancement of quality education in Nigeria. They aim to assist charities and community school projects in Nigeria to raise funds, improve infrastructure and provide basic resources.

As part of their “2009 Educational Project” a fundraiser was held on October 16th, 2009 to raise funds for the Bethesda Nursery and Primary School, Bariga. £4,000 pounds was realised from the event and part of it was used to procure educational learning aid materials for pupils of the school. The materials were donated at the school premises on the 5th of January, 2010 by a representative of the Group, Ms. Abimbola Taiwo. She promised that the group will further use the remaining money realised to provide an Edutainer (Portakabin) that can serve as an additional classroom for the children before the end of the year 2010.

NIGERIAN STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION, YORK UNIVERSITY, CANADA ALSO...

On January 8, 2010, a group of Nigerian Students under the umbrella of Nigerian Students’ Association, York University, Ontario was led by its President, Mr. Ahmed Fadairo to make donations of writing materials to support pupils in Bethesda Nursery and Primary School, Ikota and Bariga. Items donated included exercise books, mathematical sets and school bags.

CORONA SCHOOL IKOYI DONATES ITEMS TO BNPS AT XMAS

In the spirit of the Christmas Season, the Head of School, pupils and PTA of Corona School, Ikoyi donated food items, clothing materials, toys and toiletries to the Bethesda Nursery & Primary School, Ikota. The in-kind donations alongside a cash donation were presented by the Head of School, Mrs. A. O. Dafeta.

LEAP Africa sponsored two (2) of our beneficiaries – Kingsley Chaba and Linda Budu- to their Abridged Youth leadership Training Program. The training was held from 20th to 24th of July, 2009.

Olive Leaf Charity Foundation (Formerly HWWN), organized a training on Leadership and Life Skills Development in Working with OVC.  Ijeoma Ukwadinachi participated in the training. In addition, the ANCHOR (Africa Network of Children Orphaned and at Risk) project was executed in Makoko Community, Lagos Mainland L.G.A where educational materials (school bags and stationeries) were distributed to one hundred and fifty (150) Orphans and Vulnerable Children  at the Adekunle Anglican Nursery and Primary School. The educational materials were provided with funds from Olive Leaf Charity Foundation/ USAID.

AFRICARE: The Africare (TAP) project was reviewed in October 2009 and it heralds the second phase of the TAP project whereby direct support services (nutritional, educational, psychosocial, legal and health) are offered to four hundred (400)Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Epe, Magbon-Alade and Ikota Communities.

A Charity Walk was organized by Africare in partnership with Meadow Hall Junior School, Lekki, Lagos. 75 children from Ikota participated in the walk. Also, the “Kick Out AIDS” campaign was launched on the 1st of December 2009 to mark the World AIDS Day. Activities to mark the event included friendly football matches and quiz competitions organized amongst all communities benefiting from the Africare (TAP) Project. The Magbon-Alade community supervised by Bethesda, won the overall competition. A trophy was presented on December 5, 2009 to Magbon Alade Community.

FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT

FCMB continues its support as the first corporate organization to offer scholarship to Orphans and Vulnerable Children under Bethesda Scholarship Scheme. A total sum of seven million, two hundred thousand naira (N7.2million) has so far been disbursed towards the education of ten (10) children on the program.

BNPS GRADUATES 17 PUPILS

Bethesda achieved a major milestone as seventeen (17) children graduated from our Nursery and Primary school in Ikota. The school which opened in February 2004 with about 34 children in nursery 1 and 2 classes now has a total of 201 pupils and has extended to a Basic 5 class. On the 6th of September, 2009, a Thanksgiving / Graduation soiree was organised in honour of the pioneer graduates. The Thanksgiving service was held at This Present House, Lekki and Certificates of Merit were presented to the children by the Executive Director Freedom Foundation, Founder/Project Coordinator and members of the Bethesda Child Support Agency Governing Board. Thereafter, the graduands, their Care-givers and Bethesda sponsors/partners were hosted to a reception. The children with the support of our sponsors have all moved on to various secondary schools within Lagos. We thank our partners for their support.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

In line with the Bethesda Community Development mandate to visit vulnerable neighborhoods on a quarterly basis with the aim of changing the negative behavioral pattern of youths and parents in such communities by mobilizing resource persons to provide tutelage, moral instruction classes, health services, nutritional support, shoes and clothing materials, the Bethesda team visited The Nigerian Red Cross Motherless Babies Home, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, on the 25th of June, 2009. Food items (rice, noodles, milk, beverages, etc), fruit drinks, toiletries and clothing materials were donated to the children. Over seventy (70) children benefited from the program. Also, on the 5th of December 2009, a community service program was conducted at the new Bethesda school site in Bariga. Over 200 children and adults benefited from the program.

CHRISTMAS PARTY

It was a fun-filled, educative and interactive day at the YMCA Hall, Ikoyi as Bethesda hosted its beneficiaries and caregivers to its annual Christmas party on December 16, 2009. With over three hundred children and two hundred caregivers in attendance, the event doubled as a recap of the year’s activities as report cards and continuous assessment sheets were carefully checked. Children and their caregivers were treated to loads of games, music, food and drinks. The highlight of the event was the address of the Founder/Project Coordinator Mrs Nkoyo Rapu.  She used the occasion to glorify God for his faithfulness and encouraged the children to be forthright in their academic endeavours. The day was wrapped up with the distribution of gift packs by Santa Claus. The party was sponsored by partners of Bethesda.