No Child deserves to be a dropout because of school fees
The founder of the Prince Innocent Eleogu Foundation Care emphasized that every child should have the opportunity to receive an education without facing the obstacle of insufficient funds. This assertion was made during his formal address at the official launch of the PRINCE INNOCENT ELEOGU FOUNDATION, held at the Ikwuano Secondary School Playground in Ariam.
See his complete speech below:
PROTOCOL
- His Excellency Dr. Alex Chioma Otti OFR, Executive Governor of Abia State
- Barrister Monday Ubani PhD, Chairman of the Occasion
- Senator Austin Akobundu, Senator Representing Abia Central, National Assembly, Abuja
- Rt. Hon Chief Obi Aguocha, Member Representing Umuahia North, Umuahia South, and Ikwuano, House of Representatives, Abuja
- Rt. Hon. Sir Sam Onuigbo, Member North East Development Commission, Maiduguri
- Hon. Engnr Boniface Isienyi, Member Representing Ikwuano State Constituency, Abia State House of Assembly, Umuahia
- Hon. Osinachi Nwaka, Mayor, Ikwuano LGA
- The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Umuahia
- His Royal Majesty Eze J N Obaji, Agu 1, Agumba Autonomous Community
- His Royal Majesty Eze Dr. E C Ndimele, Awomnauzie Autonomous Community
- His Royal Majesty Eze Ben Oriaku, Dike 1, Umudike Autonomous Community
- Members of the Fourth Estate
- Ladies and gentlemen
I am deeply honoured and delighted to welcome each and every one of you to this auspicious occasion, where we mark the dawn of a new era in our collective journey towards a brighter and more equitable future. Your presence here today is not only a testament to your unwavering commitment to the betterment of our society, but also a source of inspiration for all of us gathered here and most especially, the PIE care foundation.
First and foremost, allow me to clarify that today's gathering transcends political affiliations or agendas. While we recognize the role of politics in shaping our society, our focus today lies elsewhere. We are here to inaugurate the PIE-CARE Foundation, an entity dedicated to uplifting lives beyond the realms of politics, starting with a primary focus on education. Through this foundation, we aim to establish a network of members in every village, enabling us to directly identify and assist those in genuine need.
Our objective is not to bask in personal glory, but rather to create a unified platform for collective action towards a common goal and equally to challenge and encourage others to step out of there comfort zone in support the needy. The foundation's endeavours will be fuelled by our own earnings and contributions from generous supporters like you and other interested stakeholders.
I must express my profound gratitude to our esteemed team and partners, particularly Prince Henry Eleogu and Sunny Ukpabi, whose visionary leadership has brought this foundation to fruition. I equally extend the same appreciation to our Diaspora Partners, in the likes of Dr Eze Nwaubani, Mr Ferdinand M. Ibezim, Dr Emmanuel Uke, for throwing in their weight behind this dream. Their dedication towards extending assistance beyond geographical boundaries is truly commendable, we trust that with your continued support, we will aspire to expand our outreach even further.
The genesis of this foundation stems from a vision that has long been brewing within me. We have in the past 10 years or more, been engaged in several areas of philanthropy quietly, but only restricted to my immediate community, both home and in Lagos. Today however, we take the first step in making it known that such foundation exists, and to enable others to tap into it. This declaration today, is all geared towards realizing that vision, a vision that seeks to forge vital synergies in empowering and supporting our youth, and the vulnerable in our community, who often find themselves grappling with the harsh realities of our economic landscape. It is disheartening to witness countless young minds deprived of educational opportunities and needed support due to economic constraints.
Our mission is to rally support from each of you, along with our performing government of Alex Otti, in instilling hope and optimism in our future generations. We are well aware that many of you are already engaged in acts of philanthropy in various forms. Our appeal is simple: let us join forces as ordinary individuals to accomplish extraordinary feats.
As we convene today to kick start the dream, with our initial focus on education (it is worthy to mention here that our focus lies beyond education), I urge you to join hands with us in imparting invaluable skills and knowledge to our youths, thereby paving the way for a brighter tomorrow in Ikwuano.
We appreciate our esteemed governor Dr Alex Otti, for his tremendous effort in bringing about democracy dividends within such a short period. However, while the government grapples with the challenges of resource allocation, particularly in the realm of education, the PIE CARE Foundation stands ready to support and complement governmental efforts. Our non-profit, sacrificial platform seeks to collaborate with individuals, groups, and governmental bodies to extend a helping hand to the less privileged.
Let us not forget that government, despite its commendable efforts, is comprised of fallible humans. It is incumbent upon us to leverage the resources at our disposal to uplift those in need within our communities. Each of us has been a beneficiary of someone's kindness at some point in our lives. Today, let us pay it forward and extend that same kindness to others, especially those hindered by poverty and lack of access to education.
In closing, I leave you with the words of Barack Obama: "If poverty is a disease that infects the entire community in the form of unemployment and violence, failing schools and broken homes, then we can't just treat those symptoms in isolation. We have to heal the entire community." The CARE Foundation stands as a beacon of hope, dedicated to healing our community and fostering a brighter future for generations to come.
Thank you once again for gracing us with your presence and unwavering support.
Warm regards.
Prince Innocent Eleogu.
END
