EYAF Empowers Widows, Schools, Teachers, Students with Funds, Educational Materials Worth over N5m

By Olisemeka Obeche

Elite Youths of Anam Foundation, EYAF wrapped up its 8th Annual Youth Summit last weekend with disbursement of funds and educational materials worth over N5 million to widows, schools, teachers and students drawn from communities across Anam in Anambra West/East Local Government Areas of Anambra State.

The flagship event held at the Ajandu Hall, Umueze Anam brought together enlightened youths, students, teachers, community leaders and experts in human capital development from Anam and beyond under the theme: Empowering Anam Youths through Education and Skills Acquisition.

Prof. Olusegun Sogbesan, Founder and Director General of Onitsha Business School, who was the Summit’s keynote speaker, had highlighted the need for massive investments in skills and entrepreneurial development in other to raise a new generation of youths that would be problem solvers rather than parading all kinds of academic certificates yet have nothing valuable to contribute to the society.

Prof. Sogbesan said: “The kind of education I’m talking about is the education that makes us to be a value carrier. Everything that add value to human lives. Like when you answer question on things that are disturbing people you are a value-carrier and people will respect you. When you meet peoples need, you are also a value-carrier”.

“If you also give solution to problems in the society, you are a value-carrier. So, the education that Anam Youths should be thinking about right now is the type that makes them value-carriers and when you are a value-carrier, everybody wants to come near you. Even the king, the Governor, the president of this nation will love to befriend you.”

He stressed that with the right knowledge and desire for home-grown solution, Anam indigenes have what it takes to transform their place into a wonderland.

According to him, Anam area remains a gold mine yet untapped with its vast fertile land and unique ecosystem.

During a follow-up panel discussion on the theme of the summit, a Faculty member at Onitsha Business School, Dr. Simon, also stress the need for empowering youths through entrepreneurship and skills of the 21st Century. According to him, with adequate knowledge of how to develop business model and plans, it’s very easy for the youths in Anam to establish business empires that would become globally competitive and innovative over the next decade.

The Deputy Chairman of Anambra West Local Government, Hon. Mrs. Edith Nkeiru Ndive, who was also a panelist during the summit, seized the opportunity to appeal to parents, teachers, school authorities and community leaders across Anam and Anambra West to rally together to address the challenge of decline in academic performance amongst pupils and students in the area.

She urged school administrators to forge closer relationship with their Schools and their host communities through Parents Teachers Association and such other avenues as the one provided by EYAF in other to improve standard of teaching and learning in Anambra West LGA.
Ndive equally pledged the commitment of the Anambra West Local Government led by Hon. Felix Nnazor towards addressing the challenge of human capital development in the area.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, EYAF President, Dr. Christopher Ejike Anekwe had admonished Anam people to stop paying lip-service to education and skills acquisition, stressing that it remains the linchpin for sustainable development in the society. “In a world that is rapidly evolving, the importance of education and the acquisition of skills cannot be overstated.”

“They are the keys that will unlock the doors to our future and enable us to navigate the complexities of our society,” he said.

Anekwe highlighted some of the achievements of the foundation during the 2024 fiscal year to include successful election, creation of a world class website for the foundation as well as training of 44 youths from Anam on Business Development Master class at the Industrial Skills Acquisition and Application Center, ISAAC, Onitsha Business School.

He also disclosed that the annual scholarship program of the foundation was cancelled for the year 2024 due to poor performance of candidates that participated in the examination.

Earlier in his remarks as a special guest of honour, the National Chairman of Anam People’s Assembly, Chief Alexander Okonkwo, admonished members of Anam Indigenous Teachers to remain resolute and steadfast to their duty of cultivating discipline, diligence and excellence in their pupils and students.
He also seized the opportunity to commend EYAF for taking the lead in the efforts to transform the socio-economic and political landscape of Anam through education and skills development. He urged other Non-governmental organizations, groups and community based associations across Anam to emulate EYAF as well as join forces with the APA leadership in order to work towards a common goal for the betterment of Ndi-Anam and Anambra West.

Highlights of the event was the empowerment of 41 indigent widows selected from the eight (8) communities across Anam with interest-free loans worth over N1 Million by EYAF as part of the foundation’s efforts to support their businesses and farming activities. EYAF also donated books worth over N800, 000 to teachers, schools and students from schools in Anam to improve teaching and learning in the area.

A total of 33 primary and 12 secondary Schools also took home whiteboards worth over N3 Million to enhance teaching and learning across primary and secondary schools in Anam.
The whiteboards provided by the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB facilitated by EYAF through Hon. Tony Collins-Nwabunwanne, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.