Month: May 2020

Cakasa Nigeria Company Limited (CNC) recently refurbished and upgraded the Government Girls Secondary School, Oromenike Library. This is part of its corporate social responsibility, to celebrate its 40 years of service and to provide educational support for children in public schools in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of enhancing quality education and encouraging gender equality. The upgrade of the furniture was fabricated at the Port Harcourt Directorate yard by the Volunteers of CEF.  Upon completion, a presentation ceremony was done by CEF to officially handover the library to the School.  The presentation Ceremony took place on Thursday, 17th October 2019 at the Government Girls Secondary School, Oromenike, D-Line, Port Harcourt. The ceremony was attended by Staff of Cakasa Nigeria Company & CEF, Teachers & Students of the school as well representatives from the River State School Management Board. During the handover ceremony, Engr. Gabriel Nkanyimuo represented by Engr. Okorie, enjoined the students of the school to develop good reading habits that would encourage them to become future leaders. Quoting American journalist and woman rights’ advocate, Margaret Fuller as saying, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader,” he said, “This saying is so true as we know that the most phenomenal leaders of our planet have been avid readers and authors in their own right.” He also encouraged the girls to aspire to become like notable prominent African women like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who are leaders in their individual fields but are rabid readers and writers also. Furthermore, he told the audience that Cakasa Nigeria Company Limited marking its 40th year of operations, had through its CSR arm, Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation, embarked on the refurbishment and upgrading of the school’s library, installing ultra-modern furniture and making an ample donation of library books. This, he said, was in keeping with the company’s policy of lending educational support to children in public schools in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of enhancing quality education and encouraging gender equality. He said that, as a result, the Government Girls Secondary School, Oromenike, Port Harcourt was adopted as one of its intervention centres among others in Rivers State and other parts of the country. Engr. Nkanyimuo disclosed that CEF will promote reading-inspiring programmes such as reading clubs, spelling bee competitions, essay writing, presentation skills and the celebration of the International Literacy Day to ensure that the library is put to proper use. Mrs Helen Egbe, the Executive Director of Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation, in her remarks listed the focal areas of CEF activities. These include Community Development, Education, Empowerment, Health and Research. She stated also that CEF was ardent in its vision of Transforming the Society and Changing Lives. She stated also that the library refurbishment and upgrade includes the following: Provision of Library Shelves. Provision of Library Tables and Chairs for students Provision of Table and Chair for the Librarian. Provision of additional Electrical Fittings Provision of various Biology Charts Provision of two sets of Encyclopedia of Arts Provision of Academic Books in Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry, Civic Education, Further Mathematics, Commerce, History, Accounting, Marketing, Music, Fishery, Dyeing & Bleaching, Book Keeping, Store Management, Insurance, Data Processing, Geography, etc. Provision of Motivational and Story Books. In her remarks at the handover ceremony, the Principal of Government Girls Secondary School, Mrs. Boma Ivanhoe expressed the appreciation of the entire staff and students of the school. She promised that the library would be put to good use by the students and would go a long way to helping the students meet their educational aspirations. The Library was officially declared open for use. Students of the school showed excitement at the newly refurbished library with most of them expressing a keen desire to make optimum use of the library. The library will further enhance quality education and encourage gender equality in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whilst giving the students access to sources of print material to support reading and inquiring learning, improve the students’ academic performance and overall success of the school. It will also encourage and stimulate other corporate organizations to make conscious effort at ameliorating the plight of the vulnerable in the society whilst enabling Cakasa to meet its overall goals and desires of literacy in indigent communities and Nigeria.

Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation in order to kick start the events earmarked for the celebration of CNC’s 40 years of business operation and as a way of giving back to society, brought smiles to the faces of the pupils of New City and Palm Avenue Primary Schools in Mushin, Lagos State, when they paid a visit to the school in commemoration of the 2019 Children’s Day celebration. The Children’s Day event was held on 28th May 2019 in the school premises at 32 Palm Avenue Mushin.  It was witnessed by representatives of Cakasa Nigeria Company Limited staff members who are also volunteers of CEF, Pupils of the School and their Teachers.  The Staff of Cakasa Nigeria Company and other CEF Volunteers joined in the celebration and engaged the children through the provision of scholastic activities and psycho-social support in the various classes. Members of Staff from CNC who are Safety Marshalls with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) educated the children from Primary 3-6 about safety on the road and personal hygiene. Each primary student was given a branded pack with school supplies such as exercise books, pens, pencils eraser and sharpener whilst the primary 5-6 students’ . Other items donated to the school by CEF include Wastebaskets, Whiteboard Markers, Dusters and Broom to ensure the cleanliness of the school environment.  These items were presented to the Head Teachers of both Schools Mrs. Rachel Babatunde and Mrs. Agnes Popoola respectively. The highlight for the day was the cutting of the Children’s day Cake and the presentation of the other items to the School.  Mrs. Popoola the Head Teacher for the Palm Avenue Primary gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the two schools.  She thanked CEF and CNC for their generous donation and kind gesture to the school and prayed that they would continue to be a source of joy and succor to the society just as it has always done.  The students were delighted and did not want to leave the school premises after the event.  They were excited and very thankful for the gifts received from CEF. The enthusiasm and delight on the faces of the children brought joy and fulfillment for the staff and volunteers of CEF as the program gave them the platform of giving back to society whilst bringing hope to many. The Head of the Safety Marshal for CNC Engr. Martins Agbetuyi held a meeting with the Head Teachers and Mrs. Helen Egbe on the possibility of inaugurating an FRSC club for the children in Primary 4-6. This club will create a platform for CEF to implement their Education program and other activities earmarked for the strengthening and the empowerment of general safety of the Children. The volunteer teachers were stimulated, excited and grateful to CEF for the various training sessions on road safety; they assured the CEF team that they would follow up and start up the CEF Safety Club in the school. The proposed inauguration of the FRSC Club creates an enabling platform for CEF to continue partnership with the school and produce alumni’s who eventually become brand ambassadors of CEF and contribute meaningfully to the development of the society. The event also created a platform for CNC Head Quarters to jumpstart and be consistent in its engagement of its host community in the various corporate social responsibility initiatives embarked upon through CEF.