Call To Love initiative hosted a breakfast forum for low-cost school owners and teachers and a graduation ceremony for 2021 beneficiaries of the ‘Making A Difference with Education Summer Camp’.
This is in line with its mission of enriching lives through social development, the goal of the breakfast forum is to improve the delivery of academic knowledge to students.
This forum is in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and brings together representatives from First Bank SME Connect, EdFin Microfinance Bank, Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), and the Nigerian Red Cross Society Lagos Branch.
Speaking at the forum held at the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, the founder of the Call to Love Initiative, Omowunmi Ajila, revealed that the event is intended to provide owners of schools with low-cost access to funds.
“Over the years, we collate feedback from our beneficiaries about their school; they are grateful for their school and teachers and wish their school had better facilities and ambience. While we are aware that the schools are passionate about giving the best to their pupils, most of the facilities require funding.
“That is why we are glad that the Lagos State Government through, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, has a dedicated fund for low fees schools to improve the quality of facilities and education to these pupils“.
The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund for Low-Cost Private Schools, by the Lagos State Government, aims to alleviate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LSETF’s loan program, in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria and EdFin Microfinance Bank, aims to address challenges in accessing finance for low-cost schools operating in Lagos State.
Criteria for accessing the loan include operating a school in Lagos State, loan up to five million Naira with a 12 -24 months tenure, interest rate of 9%, and equity provided by the approved beneficiaries will account for 5% of the loan amount.
Call To Love, founded in 2010, has reached over 900 beneficiaries through a variety of interventions. One of them is the annual Make a Difference with Education (MWE) summer camp for students in low-cost schools, a premier program created for children who cannot complete their education; to realize their full potential.
The objective is to strengthen the capacity of beneficiaries beyond their primary goals, to provide educational, financial, and social support, and to improve the educational environment of primary schools.
Addressing guests at the graduation ceremony of the MWE summer camp 2021, Omounmi said;
“Our approach of engagement is to bond with these children and get to know areas where we can be of assistance in terms of their social development. They are the sixth set and introduced to a wider range of soft skills like catering, graphic design, recycled art, and wellness“.
At the ceremony, the beneficiaries got certificates of attendance and special prices to participants that performed exceptionally.
To support or donate to the Call To Love Initiative, send an email to [email protected].
