Dangote Foundation, in its quest to contribute to the development of education in the country, donated Scholarship worth N20 million to James Hope College Agbor, in Delta State. This scholarship is to cover the school fees of selected indigent students throughout their secondary school years.
Presenting the donation at the school premises in Agbor, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou said the issue of education is an area the Foundation is interested in because it is central to the development of the society. She explained that the Foundation will continue to use its resources to help in the upliftment of the standard of education and health care; according to her, the Foundation has already invested heavily in these areas.

“Education is key for future development of our youths and the society … most countries of the world referred to as developed achieved the height because they placed premium on education”, she noted.

According to Youssoufou, the issue of education and knowledge acquisition remains a core responsibility in the discharge of the corporate social responsibility of the Foundation, the Dangote Foundation will continue to partner with groups and appropriate institutions to identify potentials among the disadvantaged students in secondary schools and help them develop their potentials through the offer of scholarships
She further pointed out that “we have a common synergy with James Hope College in the area of education development of our youths and we hope that our efforts will encourage others to contribute their own quota to educational advancement of Nigerians and Nigeria”. The Chairman of the Foundation, Aliko Dangote had visited the school last year where he promised that his Foundation would spread its intervention to the school through the offer of scholarships.

Receiving the cheque on behalf of the School, the Principal, Mr. Abraham Swart, thanked the Dangote Foundation for the gesture saying it only demonstrated the love Alhaji Dangote has for the less privileged in the society, especially in the area of education. According to him, the Dangote Foundation grant clearly demonstrates the key role the private sector can play working in partnership with government and other partners in the business of education to raise the standard of schools in Nigeria.

Amid applause from the cross section of the pupils who witnessed the presentation of the cheque, Mr. Swart stated that the school places emphasis on academic excellence and the student’s ability, and promised that the school will make judicious use of the fund for the scholarship for the categories of the students it is meant for. He clarified that the scholarship covers all fees payable by the beneficiaries throughout their secondary school years noting that the Foundation’s donation would leave an indelible mark in the annals of the school. He further called on other Foundations and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in the education standard in the country.

It would be recalled that the Dangote Foundation had of recent stepped up its Interventions in the area of education and health care with the Chairman of the Foundation announcing that the Multi-purpose vehicle through which the Pan African Conglomerate, Dangote Group carries out its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) would double up its philanthropic activities. Consequently, the Foundation late last year donated five fully equipped mobile clinics worth N100 million to five communities in Kenya to help in taking quality health care services to the grassroots in the country.

Source: Daily Post, 4th March 2015