By Abubakar Yunusa
The Green Identity by Omoye, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), through its flagship initiative, Obioma Foundation, has called on government authorities and other NGOs to urgently address the plight of public school children and orphanages in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), lamenting their neglect and lack of basic amenities.
The Foundation made this appeal on Friday in Abuja during its annual “Back to School” outreach at LEA Primary School, Abundant Life Academy, and Lomina Orphanage Global Relief Initiative, all located within Aco/AMAC Estate in the FCT.
Speaking during the outreach, the Founder of Obioma Foundation, Omoyeme Aifuobhokhan Obayojie, noted that the absence of basic facilities, such as potable water in schools, negatively impacts teachers and hinders teaching and learning in an unconducive environment.
She explained: “Obioma Foundation is an initiative under The Green Identity by Omoye. The Green Identity is a hub that primarily serves widows, less-privileged children, orphans, and the elderly. Obioma Foundation, which turns five in December, has over the years implemented numerous outreach programmes for widows, less-privileged families, and the elderly.
“Every September, we run our ‘Back to School’ programme to support widows’ children with school fees, uniforms, writing materials, and other essentials. We also assist underfunded government schools and some privately run schools, especially those managed by churches. Beyond providing materials, we have increasingly extended our support to paying staff salaries where schools struggle to retain teachers. For instance, one of the schools we visited this time had only one teacher covering classes from Primary One to Primary Six.”
She further revealed that moving forward, the Foundation plans to place some staff members of these schools on its payroll to ease the burden of recruitment and improve the quality of teaching.
“Even orphanages struggle to retain staff such as nannies and drivers to take children to school. These are issues we are actively engaging with. During this year’s outreach, aside from paying tuition fees and distributing school materials, we also introduced a new component — providing sanitary pads for adolescent girls and offering health talks.
“We also brought in professionals — entrepreneurs, fashion designers, and lawyers — to mentor and encourage the children.”
Omoyeme stressed that the Foundation is determined to expand its reach and impact.
“For instance, one of the government schools we visited lacks running water. We plan to present this issue to our sponsors for possible intervention. We are also exploring new initiatives for next year, including support programmes for sexually abused women and children displaced from such families, and establishing safe homes for vulnerable women and children.
“We selected these particular schools because of their unique needs. Even though I now live far away, the first time I visited Abundant Life School, I found children studying under a trampoline. It was heartbreaking.”
She disclosed that Obioma Foundation does not receive government funding but relies entirely on individual donors and friends, including support from abroad.
“DJ Oreo, for instance, has supported us from the very beginning. Because of limited funds, we concentrate our resources on fewer schools and orphanages to achieve measurable impact rather than spreading ourselves too thin.”
Omoyeme urged other NGOs to adopt a similar model:
“If 50 NGOs in Abuja each supported one orphanage or school by paying staff salaries or covering specific monthly needs, the cumulative impact would transform our communities. Instead of chasing big-brand activities, let’s streamline our work to meet direct, specific needs — paying one staff member’s salary for a year or covering the cost of fuel or materials for a school makes a huge difference.”
She added that Obioma Foundation’s interventions are always preceded by careful needs assessments to ensure donations meet actual requirements. For example, the Foundation recently bought a whiteboard for one school to enable effective teaching before the start of the new term.
Omoyeme also appealed to the government at all levels to step up its support for schools in underserved communities:
“It is disheartening that some schools still lack basic infrastructure like running water. Teachers cannot teach effectively when they are hungry or when the environment is unhygienic. Government should not focus only on well-located schools in areas like Garki and Maitama. Local government authorities must also prioritise schools in the outskirts such as those in Lugbe Aco under AMAC.
“We know some interventions are being made, but they must be monitored and evaluated to ensure resources reach the intended beneficiaries.”
She noted that many orphans are from displaced communities affected by insurgency, and not merely the children of financially struggling mothers.
“Some of these women were raped or abused and cannot financially cater for their children. Placing them in orphanages is often a safer option. However, mothers must also seek help and avoid vulnerable situations where possible, while fathers must rise to their responsibilities as co-providers.”
Advising children, Omoyeme encouraged them to remain focused on their education despite challenges:
“Many people who have excelled in life came from very humble backgrounds. There are endless opportunities for diligent students. Some can gain international scholarships through sports, chess, or other extracurricular achievements. For example, one of my students, a chess player, received full tuition to study in the UK.”
She concluded by reiterating her message of hope:
“At Obioma Foundation, we will continue to do our best alongside our partners. But the children themselves must also strive to be their best. With God on their side, the sky is only their starting point. Help will come.”
People’s Daily reports that the Foundation donated writing materials such as erasers, exercise books, pencils, mathematics sets, ,sanitary pads to the two schools and also paid school fees for several pupils.
To mark the founder’s 10th year in the international education industry, 10 students were awarded full scholarships covering the entire duration of their studies.
In addition, all 35 pupils present at Abundant Life Academy received free school uniforms.
In addition to the writing materials, the orphanage home also received food items, including bags of rice, noodles, sugar, granulated sugar, toiletries, groundnut oil, semovita, among others.
Expressing her appreciation, the Headteacher of LEA Primary School, Aco/AMAC Estate, Mrs. Amos Bulus Zumunta, urged other NGOs to emulate Obioma Foundation’s example in catering for school children. She also called on the government to intervene in providing basic amenities for the school.
Similarly, the teacher of Abundant Life Academy, Pastor Victor Ajibolu Abundant, thanked the Foundation for its intervention in alleviating the plight of the schoolchildren, noting that the school focuses on teaching children who cannot afford fees in conventional schools.
On her part, the Overseer of the orphanage home, Apostle Philomena Aloysius Udoeka, stated that the home urgently needs a bus and solar power for pumping water. She expressed gratitude to Obioma Foundation for consistently donating items to support the feeding of children in the home.
The highlight of the outreach was the orphans (ranging from a six month old boy to an 18-year old girl) praying for members of Obioma Foundation, saying the foundation will continue to grow from strength to strength.
