By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Some essential learning materials like school bags, exercise books and others have been given to over 850 pupils in Lagos State by Opay Digital Services Limited.

The items were donated by the leading provider of digital financial solutions in collaboration with the Dolly Children Foundation (DCF) under the Back to School Project.

The educational materials were distributed to the children of Jubril Martins Memorial Primary School, Issa Williams Primary School, and Anwar-ul Islam Primary School, all in the Agege area of Lagos State.

Business Post learned that the initiative was rooted in the shared vision of both organizations to address critical gaps in access to quality education for underserved children.

By establishing a benchmark for significant corporate social responsibility, this partnership between Opay and the Dolly Children Foundation demonstrates the effectiveness of teamwork in tackling societal issues.

“We are not just any digital bank; we are Opay—a bank that integrates CSR into its core values. This partnership with the Dolly Children Foundation underscores our commitment to empowering communities.

“By easing the burden on parents, we aim to ensure these children can focus on their education and build a brighter future,” the Corporate Social Responsibility Project Manager at Opay, Itoro Udo, said.

The founder of the DCF, Adedolapo Osuntuyi, said the collaboration “guarantees that students remain interested and involved. Our goal of giving resources to kids in need is being furthered by our partnership with Opay.”

Osuntuyi noted that, “The only tool you have to stop the cycle of poverty is education. As an organization, we are therefore committed to making sure all children attend and stay in school.”

The Agege Education Secretary, Mrs Catherine Ogunyomi, represented by the Head of Human Resources Management and Administration, Mr Kehinde Bukola James, thanked the organisations for the gesture, pointing out the important influence the donations had on the students’ academic paths.

“Many of these kids come from households that find it difficult to buy even the most basic necessities. In addition to helping the students, such initiatives give the community hope. To meet urgent educational requirements, we invite additional organizations to collaborate,” she said.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

About one million African children have had access to digital education courtesy of the partnership between Airtel Africa Plc and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

In 2021, the two organisations joined forces to equip learners with quality digital education resources across 13 African countries.

Since the five-year collaboration, no fewer than 1,500 schools have been connected to the Internet, with about 17,000 teachers trained to upgrade their skills.

The telecommunications company promised to provide about $57 million to support the development of education and bridge the digital divide for vulnerable children in remote communities in collaboration with African governments.

“Our mission is to transform lives, and through our collaboration with UNICEF, we are witnessing the profound impact that connectivity and digital resources can have on Africa’s children and teachers.

“For every school we have connected and for each teacher trained on using these digital tools, we are taking tangible steps toward realizing our commitment to bridging the digital divide, advancing educational equality and restating our commitment to the relentless pursuit of a better future for African children on the continent,” the chief executive of Airtel Africa, Mr Sunil Taldar, said on the success of the partnership while marking this year’s World’s Children’s Day.

“By equipping these schools with internet connectivity and training teachers on how to use the digital tools, Airtel Africa and UNICEF are providing Africa’s children, particularly those in underserved and remote regions, with the digital tools and skills they need to thrive in a technology-driven world.

“This is why we are celebrating with the children on this special occasion of World Children’s Day specially dedicated to them and all the effort aimed at securing and improving their future,” Mr Taldar added.

The partnership has expanded digital learning to learners in 13 countries since its launch. The countries include Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

By Dipo Olowookere

Three African students comprising two from Nigeria have won scholarships to further their studies in the United States of America (USA).

The educational grants were given by Prodigy Finance, an international student lender, through the Allan & Gill Gray Foundation African Student Scholarship.

The winners, Ms Emmanuella Ayeley Bentum from Ghana, Ms Jane Chidera Ohia from Nigeria, and Ms Oluwasola Esho from Nigeria, will receive $5,000 each for their master’s degree programmes at different universities in the US in the spring of 2025.

“We are thrilled to support these three amazing individuals. Emmanuella, Jane, and Oluwasola are a testament to the impact of education. We believe this scholarship will help them overcome the obstacles and reach their full potential,” the Global Chief Commercial Officer of Prodigy Finance, Sonal Kapoor, commented.

Ms Bentum will be at the University of Colorado Denver, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for an MA/MPA in Geospatial Sciences and Public Administration

Her academic journey has been driven by her passion for solving public health and environmental issues in Ghana. Her work on the SCORETB project with Afro Global Alliance made her realise the complexity of the health and environment intersection, which led her to create the Sustainable Health and Environment (SHE) organisation.

She hopes her studies in global health and geospatial sciences will enable her to design targeted health interventions and advocate for healthcare equity. The Prodigy Finance scholarship will allow her to focus on her research and establish international partnerships to scale up SHE’s impact in Ghana.

Ms Ohia will proceed to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Ray P. Authement College of Sciences for an MS in Informatics with a concentration in Health Informatics.

Her love for healthcare informatics has been her guiding light throughout her academic and professional life. Her undergraduate project on digitising patient records shows her commitment to improving healthcare. As a first-generation college student, Ms Ohia faced many financial challenges but her resilience and determination never wavered.

The scholarship from Prodigy Finance will assist with her financial needs, so she can focus on her studies and contribute to healthcare innovation. She wants to mentor other students in her community and share her experience and knowledge to help others achieve their academic goals.

As for Ms Esho, she will be at the Florida International University, Chapman Graduate School of Business for Professional MBA-Flex.

Ms Esho is driven to create opportunities for women in Nigeria and will be pursuing her MBA at FIU to build a strong foundation for leadership. Inspired by the educational inequality she saw in her community, she created the Women for Nations community to advocate for women’s empowerment.

Ms Esho wants to apply her MBA knowledge to advocate for women’s career development and gender equality in Nigeria’s workforce. With the Prodigy Finance scholarship, she can focus on her studies and work towards becoming a leader who will drive change for women in Nigeria.