As the yuletide sets in, a charity organization, ORPED Ghana, has enjoined Nigerians to spare a thought for the education of children through a project it called: “Let’s Talk Education @ Christmas 2014 Campaign,” insisting that this year’s Christmas celebration should go Edu-Care.
ORPED, which abbreviates Organization of Rural Primary Education Developers, is already a household name in Ghana where it has existed since 1994. It is currently seeking to make in route into Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya beginning with the Christmas campaign.
The campaign takes advantage of the Christmas period, which witnesses constant exchange of gifts with children getting lots of presents from relations and charitable personalities or entities, to request that Nigerians buy education-enhancing gifts like textbooks, school uniforms, sandals, school fees, notebooks, writing materials etc for children as Christmas presents in lieu of the usual presents.
Disclosing this to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, the Nigeria Representative of ORPED Ghana, Ms. Gladys Omopariwa, invited various choir groups in churches who are planning their Christmas carol cantata to use one or two of their renditions in singing about the message of people giving out education-enhancing gifts to children during the yuletide.
According to her, “After videoing their Edu-Care song which they must have performed during their Christmas carol, the choir bands should go ahead and post same on the portal; www.facebook.com/ORPEDGHANA- #LETSTALKEDUCATIONChristmas2014. At the end of this, the top four choir groups with the best presentation will get rewarded while its members will have the privilege of being made ambassadors of what ORPED represents.
“The lyrics of the song to be performed and posted on the portal must centre on encouraging everyone to buy gifts which help promote education and present same to school children as well as those out of school. She explained that aside every Facebook fan that would have an opportunity to grade such videos online, a panel of judges will be set up to select four out of the videos that best pass across the Edu-Care message and was better performed,” she explained.
Ms Omapariwa further disclosed that the organization has concluded plans to visit some public primary and post-primary schools in the country on their day of vacation for this term to freely feed the pupils and celebrate those of them who topped their classes by presenting gifts to them.
Hear her, “We at ORPED enjoin the electorates and leaders in government to support this project of fostering education for the children of the Nigerian community and take action in the spirit of the Yuletide; to give free education enhancement items to community schools and show their care for the children’s future.”
The Nigeria Rep, who expressed how successful ORPED had been in Ghana to the extent that it is now extending its frontiers to other African countries, requested corporate organizations in Nigeria as well as other well-meaning Nigerians to partner with the noble organization in ensuring that an all-round development of the African child, particularly the girl-child, is realized in Nigeria.
