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Foundation partners Ogun State education authorities to strengthen primary schooling, distribute learning materials, and plan free schools for underserved children

The Hands of Solace Foundation has unveiled a comprehensive, long-term education intervention targeted at improving the quality of primary education in rural communities across Ogun State, in collaboration with the state government and local education authorities.

The initiative officially commenced in Oke Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area, where the foundation distributed essential learning materials to more than 400 primary school pupils. The outreach marks the first phase of a broader strategy aimed at addressing deep-rooted structural challenges confronting basic education in hard-to-reach communities.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Yewa South Local Government Education Authority in Ilaro, the foundation’s spokesman, Mr. Segun Adekoya, explained that the programme was designed to deliver sustainable impact rather than short-term relief. He disclosed that the foundation is in the process of acquiring acres of land in Oke Erinja for the construction of a standard primary school that will offer free education to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

According to Adekoya, Hands of Solace Foundation is driven by a collective of young Nigerian professionals who have committed to reinvesting their resources into social development, with education identified as a critical catalyst for long-term community transformation. He noted that Yewa South was selected following research findings that revealed limited access to quality education and low parental engagement in formal schooling within rural settlements.

The foundation’s long-term roadmap, he added, includes the establishment of both primary and secondary schools to ensure continuity in learning and significantly reduce dropout rates. “We are laying a foundation that will outlive us. Our goal is to create an educational ecosystem where children can learn without financial barriers,” Adekoya said.

Receiving the delegation, the Head of Department, Academic and School Services at the Yewa South Local Government Education Authority, Mrs. Ogunleye Adedoyin, commended the foundation for aligning its intervention with the practical needs of the local education system. She highlighted persistent infrastructural challenges faced by many public primary schools in the area, including shortages of classrooms, chairs, and protective learning materials, which often undermine effective teaching and learning.

While acknowledging ongoing efforts by the Ogun State Government to improve school infrastructure, Adedoyin stressed that partnerships with credible non-governmental organisations remain crucial to closing gaps in rural education delivery. She encouraged the foundation to sustain its intervention and called on other development-focused organisations to replicate similar initiatives in underserved communities.

Also speaking, the Head Teacher of YSLG Primary School, Mrs. Popoola M.A., described the intervention as timely and impactful, noting that it has boosted pupils’ morale and restored parents’ confidence in public education. Teachers and pupils from the beneficiary schools expressed gratitude to the foundation and appealed for the swift commencement of the proposed school construction project.

As part of its advocacy, the Hands of Solace Foundation has called on corporate organisations, philanthropists, and well-meaning Nigerians to support its education development programmes through the following accounts:

Account Name: Hands of Solace Foundation

Bank: Sterling Bank PLC

Account Numbers:

– 0122870544 (Naira Account)

– 0140542713 (USD Transfer)

– 0140542737 (Cash Deposit)

USD Transfer Code: NAMENGLA

The foundation reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality education as a pathway to sustainable development and social equity in Ogun State and beyond.