By Zika Bobby
L-R: Chairman Pacegate Ltd (owners of Evolve Charity), Manoj Kirpalani; Pacegate staff, Yesmina Kirpalani; Principal, Opebi Junior Secondary Schools, Omolara Awosan; MD/CEO, Polaris Bank, Adekunle Sonola and Director, Pecegate Ltd, Umesh Amarnani, at the presentation of school items to Opebi Junior Grammar School students in the ongoing CSR partner in the girl-child education project in Lagos.
Polaris Bank, in partnership with Evolve Charity, a non-profit organisation have presented educational materials to over 400 students in Ikeja and Surulere areas of Lagos State.
The donated materials which include school uniforms, school bags, pens, sandals, and various books were presented to the students of Opebi Junior Secondary School, Gbaja Junior Girls High School and Gbaja Senior Girls High School, Surulere.
The initiatives to the three schools was part of activities marking the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) International Day of the Girl (IDG).
Speaking at the presentation of the materials, at Opebi, Ikeja, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Adekunle Sonola, spoke of the bank’s commitment to quality education of the girl-child.
“At Polaris Bank, we are of the firm belief that every investment on education, especially on empowerment of the girl-child, leaves a lasting impact, not only on the child, but on the society. This is why we partnered Evolve Charity to launch the Support for the Girl Child Education Project,” he said.
He reaffirmed the bank’s confidence in education, saying: “We believe in education as an organisation and more importantly, we believe in identifying with the pupils in these schools. We have done this over the past few years and it is something we’re committed to doing, and will continue to do.”
According to him, the intervention is aimed at keeping the girl-child in school and educated, thereby reducing the growing cases of early marriages in society. The objective is to empower these underprivileged girls through education by providing them with school supplies and personal development tools they need.
Also, speaking, Managing Director, Pacegate Limited, owners of Evolve Charity, Umesh Amarnani, acknowledged the essence of sustainable education intervention, noting that the select schools are now our responsibility by adoption, and we will continue to provide the students with school supplies, while focusing especially on the girls and teaching their teachers value-based education that impact good manners on the students.
He commended the partnership with Polaris Bank, saying: “We’re happy to partner Polaris Bank and other institutions that have supported us in our cause. And what is most interesting is that all the work is being done voluntarily by all Nigerians working in the company. And we are covering 36 schools across six states. We started this initiative four years ago, and we are planning to go on every year and do more and more.”
Earlier, the principals of the beneficiary schools expressed their profound appreciation on behalf of the management and students of their respective schools.
Omolara Awosan, the principal at Opebi Junior Secondary School, expressed her delight at the good gesture saying: “I’m so excited, on top of the world. I think this is my third time since I became the principal of the school, that they have been here, giving our children school bags, uniforms, sandals, and some other writing materials. I am so happy.”