Airtel Nigeria has joined in the effort to rehabilitate destitute children who are currently roaming the streets of Lagos.

In the third episode of its Touching Lives Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which aired on television at the weekend, the telecom giant awarded a scholarship worth one million Naira to a promising teenage boy whose continued stay in school had become uncertain.

Having lost his father and with no one else to raise him, Rotimi Azeez had hustled his way to the country’s commercial capital in a desperate move to raise money for his education.

However, a few months after his arrival, he became homeless and at the mercy of the city’s caprices. “You never know when it’s going to rain on you all night because you can never predict the rain,” he said.

But he was soon rescued by the Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative (SCCWI), a non-governmental organisation devoted to vagrant children.

Speaking to Airtel Touching Lives , Comfort Alli, president of SCCWI, said the problem of destitute children had become a public emergency. She noted that more than 250,000 minors are currently drifting around in the metropolis. “The problem is bigger than the government of Lagos State,” she said. “Everybody has to be on ground to make sure that they fight this problem.”

This is why, according to her, the charity elected to focus on bringing relief to runaway and abandoned kids. Some of the wandering youths had become “fathers of street children” and many were exposed to drugs, homosexuality, and life-threatening diseases such as HIV.

Before the 116-year-oldwas rescued, he was “very wild, shattered, and malnourished; he probably would have become an armed robber or pickpocket,” said Folake Shittu, a senior counsellor at the aid organisation.

Now, three years later, “his attitude has changed, he has better self esteem, and improved academic performance,” said Victor Adejunle, who had been Azeez’s mentor at SCCWI for more than two years.

But since the economy slid into recession in 2016, donations to the NGO have dwindled significantly. For this reason, Alli explained, paying for Azeez’s schooling would no longer be as easy as it used to be. Although the boy had always hoped to become a lawyer, “if he doesn’t get help, he’ll be back to square one,” she said.

While accepting the Airtel intervention, Azeez said the grant would change his life. “I don’t think anyone in my family has ever received a scholarship of one million naira. I’m happy today. It’s a good thing,” he said.

The telco company noted that ‘Touching Lives’ will be back this weekend to its regular schedule on local and international television networks.

“On Saturday, the fourth episode of season three will premiere on Africa Magic Urban at 6:30pm and on Africa Magic Family at 7pm. It will later air on RaveTV from 9-9:30pm.

“The next day, Africa Magic World will show a rerun of the episode from 6-6:30pm. NTA Network and ArewaTV will do the same from 6:00-6.30pm and from 7-7:30pm, respectively,” it summed.

ExpiredNigeria:
Please I want to understand something, why do I have to denounce my religion first and accept islam and mohamed before I could make a comment on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3658612/dont-abandon-widows-divorcees?

Mods are you going to address this or block me for asking.. I'm understanding that nairaland is now a muslin thing and seun is a religious bigot for allowing muslim to freely comment on other religions' thread but have you first denounce yours and accept islam before you could participate in the muslim topic..

below is the picture of what I met this morning on following the link.. can any of the mod address that? I don't know if I would be blocked for asking this question but that will make me understand what muslim really mean in this country.. go ahead and explain this or block me..

ayatt:
oboi this one don hammer oh

ayatt:
oboi this one don hammer oh

Jafar1:
its a scholarship bro, its not a promo

ayatt:


get over it dude..

dammy13:
Airtel Nigeria has joined in the effort to rehabilitate destitute children who are currently roaming the streets of Lagos.

In the third episode of its Touching Lives Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which aired on television at the weekend, the telecom giant awarded a scholarship worth one million Naira to a promising teenage boy whose continued stay in school had become uncertain.

HungerBAD:
At a time when knowledge acquisition in other climes is getting increasingly sophisticated, the same cannot be said to be the case in most parts of the country.

While the much-touted leaders of tomorrow in some states attend classes in ad-hoc environments including under trees, unsafe environment and sundry locations, Lagos State, many say should never be found in the company of such needy states.

But that is not the case. As a matter of fact, students in some schools in the state are taught while sitting on bare floors, while classrooms in some schools across the state are without roof, sundry fittings and devoid of requisite learning aides

Oshodi Nursery and Primary School, Oshodi, which has been in deplorable condition for a very long time is a classic example of this sad story.Located only a few kilometres away from Bolade Bus Stop, along Oshodi/Agege Motor Road, the school, which has up to four buildings within the premises, sees pupils scampering for safety anytime it rains, even as the learning process also has to be halted at such times.
This explains why parents and concerned residents of the area are urging the state government to come to their aid, by rehabilitating the school, and providing an enabling environment for the pupils to learn, in consonant with their rights to attend school in conducive environments.

The pathetic condition of the school first attracted the attention of The Guardian Newspaper, which carried a report to that effect in The Guardian on Sunday edition of February 7th, 2016. Ever since that publication, nothing has been done to improve the fortunes of the school.


www.nairaland.com/attachments/4860558_owoseni_jpeg06e2ea1f21ecfae7256699d95aacebb5

ExpiredNigeria:
Please I want to understand something, why do I have to denounce my religion first and accept islam and mohamed before I could make a comment on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3658612/dont-abandon-widows-divorcees?

Mods are you going to address this or block me for asking.. I'm understanding that nairaland is now a muslin thing and seun is a religious bigot for allowing muslim to freely comment on other religions' thread but have you first denounce yours and accept islam before you could participate in the muslim topic..

below is the picture of what I met this morning on following the link.. can any of the mod address that? I don't know if I would be blocked for asking this question but that will make me understand what muslim really mean in this country.. go ahead and explain this or block me..

dammy13:



http://thenationonlineng.net/homeless-teenager-receives-n1m-airtel-scholarship-on-touching-lives/

ExpiredNigeria:
Please I want to understand something, why do I have to denounce my religion first and accept islam and mohamed before I could make a comment on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3658612/dont-abandon-widows-divorcees?

Mods are you going to address this or block me for asking.. I'm understanding that nairaland is now a muslin thing and seun is a religious bigot for allowing muslim to freely comment on other religions' thread but have you first denounce yours and accept islam before you could participate in the muslim topic..

below is the picture of what I met this morning on following the link.. can any of the mod address that? I don't know if I would be blocked for asking this question but that will make me understand what muslim really mean in this country.. go ahead and explain this or block me..

ExpiredNigeria:
Please I want to understand something, why do I have to denounce my religion first and accept islam and mohamed before I could make a comment on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3658612/dont-abandon-widows-divorcees?

Mods are you going to address this or block me for asking.. I'm understanding that nairaland is now a muslin thing and seun is a religious bigot for allowing muslim to freely comment on other religions' thread but have you first denounce yours and accept islam before you could participate in the muslim topic..

below is the picture of what I met this morning on following the link.. can any of the mod address that? I don't know if I would be blocked for asking this question but that will make me understand what muslim really mean in this country.. go ahead and explain this or block me..

ExpiredNigeria:
Please I want to understand something, why do I have to denounce my religion first and accept islam and mohamed before I could make a comment on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3658612/dont-abandon-widows-divorcees?

Mods are you going to address this or block me for asking.. I'm understanding that nairaland is now a muslin thing and seun is a religious bigot for allowing muslim to freely comment on other religions' thread but have you first denounce yours and accept islam before you could participate in the muslim topic..

below is the picture of what I met this morning on following the link.. can any of the mod address that? I don't know if I would be blocked for asking this question but that will make me understand what muslim really mean in this country.. go ahead and explain this or block me..

ExpiredNigeria:
Please I want to understand something, why do I have to denounce my religion first and accept islam and mohamed before I could make a comment on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3658612/dont-abandon-widows-divorcees?

Mods are you going to address this or block me for asking.. I'm understanding that nairaland is now a muslin thing and seun is a religious bigot for allowing muslim to freely comment on other religions' thread but have you first denounce yours and accept islam before you could participate in the muslim topic..

below is the picture of what I met this morning on following the link.. can any of the mod address that? I don't know if I would be blocked for asking this question but that will make me understand what muslim really mean in this country.. go ahead and explain this or block me..