The Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, and education advocates have called for increased support for children in underserved communities to enable them to achieve their aspirations.

They made the call in Abuja on Friday during an interview on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony of the Not Forgotten Initiative (NFI) School.

NFI School provides free education, uniforms and meals to indigent children through support from private individuals and partners.

The school, which started in 2018 on an undeveloped plot of land in Asokoro with 14 pupils, has grown to 128 pupils with seven classrooms, a library, a computer laboratory, a music room, and a hall.

The school received a quit notice from the landowner, creating uncertainty over the future of the children and the initiative.

Ms Westerholm said she was inspired by the progress the school recorded, adding that the confidence displayed by the pupils showed the impact of the initiative.

She expressed concern over the eviction notice, urging government, donor agencies and private organisations to support the school in securing a suitable location.

“It is devastating to learn that the school is being evicted in four days. This school, built by the parents and teachers, represents the hopes and dreams of these children,” she said.

The ambassador urged stakeholders to visit the school and support efforts to provide better facilities for the pupils.

The Vice Chancellor of Baze University, Abiodun Adeniyi, said the children’s performances during the ceremony were emotional, stressing the importance of education in developing human capacity.

Mr Adeniyi urged the government and public-spirited organisations to support the initiative to prevent the vision of the school from being affected by a lack of infrastructure.

“Government may not necessarily take it over, but it should find a way to support them,” he said.

Earlier, the founder of NFI School, Oluwatosin Adeniyi, said the initiative was established to ensure that no child was denied quality education because of poverty.

She said, “Apart from the 128 pupils currently enrolled, the initiative supports 26 children in federal government colleges and seven others in private schools through scholarships.”

Ms Adeniyi added that NFI had produced two university students and one polytechnic graduate, while three others were awaiting admission into universities.

According to her, more than 200 children have passed through the school since its establishment.

She said the impending relocation would be challenging but assured that the mission of the initiative would remain unchanged.

“While buildings may change, our mission remains unchanged. We remain committed to ensuring that no child’s future is limited by the circumstances of his or her birth,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the graduating pupils, Abdullahi Musa said the school had become a home away from home for many children whose parents could not afford quality education.

A parent, Faith Bulus, appealed to government and stakeholders to intervene, saying the eviction would negatively affect children and parents who rely on the school.

She urged authorities to support and invest in the initiative rather than allow it to shut down. 

(NAN)