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From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
A Non Governmental Organisation, De Dream Community Foundation (DCF) has donated exercise books, paid West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and tuition fees of 15 pupils and students in Benue State.
The foundation also donated school sandals, cash for uniforms and offered scholarships to some students in both public and private schools in the State.
The founder, Rahmatu Yakubu Ene, said the donation and payment of WAEC and school fees was to ensure the less privileged secure a future in education.
She noted that before now, DCF had also facilitated payment of scholarship funds for about 25 students in the state bringing the number to over 40.
The organisation visited two public and one private schools respectively in Makurdi town, where the educational materials were distributed to the beneficiaries.
Speaking after presenting the WAEC fees and the exercise books at the Community Secondary School Wadata Makurdi, Ene- Yakubu stated that there is hardship in the country, hence the visit to the school.
She explained that her organisation decided to visit the school considering the hardship and economic crisis going on in the country where people are struggling to feed and some children are being sent out from schools due to lack of payment of school fees.
She further revealed that she graduated from the community secondary school in 1998 and have decided to come back and pay WAEC and school fees with other levies with some writing materials of her junior students who cannot afford it.
“For now, we are paying for WAEC fee of five students and school fees for 10 others in primary and secondary schools.
“As I always say, I believe so much in securing the future of the kids educationally and paying the fees of these children is a way of giving the students the opportunity to become something in life.
“I started this foundation for compassion sake because when I was growing up I saw how people were stranded on the street and I decided to set up this organisation to see what I can do from my little end. I started this foundation three years ago but was officially launched this year, 2025 and since then, we have touched people.
“We have trained people in catering and fashion schools. We have 25 people on scholarship under the foundation. Today we visited three schools, two public schools and one private school where we donated books, school sandals and paid WAEC fees for some SSS 3 students and PTA for over 15 pupils.
“For now, I have been doing it alone and it is my firm believe that one day I will get support from individuals, organisations who have passion for what we are doing so that we can reach out to more people on the streets”, she added.
Ene-Yakubu urged the students to continue to read and work hard to ensure they come out successful in life.
In his remarks, the Vice Principal administration, Community Secondary School Makurdi, Mr. Ueter Ferdinand, thanked the Dream Community Foundation for coming to support the school and for registering some students for external exams.
He added that school management is happy most especially that the gesture is coming from an old student, stressing that it is their candid prayers that the gesture is continuously taking to larger society.
He appealed to the founder to look for the less privileged students and put them on scholarship at her former school, saying there is huge challenge of school fees payment as most students are not capable of paying for their school fees”
On her part, Head teacher of CAC school, Mrs. Kate Egwu, expressed gratitude to the founder of the DCF and the Hausa community for what they are doing for the school.
She said “This gesture has made us proud and it is not the first time. We have been receiving interventions since I came here. They came and fenced our school, donated so many textbooks and today you are also donating exercise books, school sandals and paid their PTA fees.”
One of the beneficiaries, Angela Atim whose WAEC fee was paid, appreciated Dream Community Foundation for the kind gesture, saying they came to her rescue at a time she needed help the most and promised that the money paid for her exams would surely yield positive results at the end of her exams.
Atim said u”I feel good receiving this gesture from the DCF. I really appreciate the founder and promise that I will not fail or disappoint her.”
