A serving National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Member in Rivers State, Bright Ekong, has sacrificed his 10-months allowance as a scholarship to 12-year-old, Wealth Sokari, a JSS3 student, in his Place of Primary Assignment, PPA.
Bright Ekong who is serving (teaching) at Community Secondary School Degema, also took philanthropy as his pet project in a bid to give back to society.
Ekong who hails from Akwa Ibom state and a graduate of Pure Chemistry from the University of Calabar (UNICAL), pledged to pay the pupil’s school fees from Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) to Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS 3).
He called on the government to make funding of schools and educational development in the country, a priority.
The 25-year-old Corps Member noted that the government at all levels -was doing a wonderful job but needs to do more especially in the educational sector, adding that funding of schools and solving the issue of overcrowding in classrooms of public schools will greatly improve the educational system.
Ekong said : “The Government is actually doing a wonderful job but I believe that if they make funding of schools a priority, as well as acknowledge and address the issue of overcrowding of classrooms in public schools, the educational system in Nigeria will greatly improve.”
“I was moved to empower the 12-year-old student, Wealth Sokari, because she is a brilliant kid, eventhough in a public school.
” Sokari is an excellent student, my support to her was also to encourage her and others like herself in a bid to boost their morale which would invariably develop her passion for learning as well as improve her intelligence quotient, (IQ).
“I believe so much in empowering children because I know by doing so, it will help make society a better place,” he said.
Responding, Mrs Sokari, who is a widow and mother of the beneficiary of the scholarship, said words won’t be enough to express her joy.
Mrs Sokari who broke down in tears of great joy and thanked Bright Martins for his kind heart.
“I never expected help to come from someone I have never even met before”, as they have been struggling to survive since the demise of my husband,
“This is one of the best things that has happened to me since I lost my husband, this scholarship came in when it was needed to most,” he said