The Renewed Hope agenda of the Ogun State Government recorded another major boost on Monday as the state partnered with a non-governmental organisation, Hello International, to launch a Home-Grown School Feeding programme targeted at 1,200 pupils across the three senatorial districts.
The initiative, driven through the state’s expanding Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework under Governor Dapo Abiodun, is designed to enhance pupils’ nutrition, improve learning outcomes and reduce hunger-induced absenteeism in public primary schools.
Speaking at the launch held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, the Ogun State First Lady and founder of the Ajose Foundation, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, said the feeding programme remains one of the most impactful interventions for children, women and vulnerable households.
She noted that the initiative had consistently boosted school enrolment, sustained attendance and promoted better cognitive development among learners.
Mrs. Abiodun lauded Hello International for aligning with the state’s education and social welfare goals, urging other private actors to support the Renewed Hope empowerment programmes and refrain from actions capable of undermining government efforts.
Representing the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, the Presidency’s Consultant on Partnership, Mr. Adekunle Ade-Onajobi, affirmed the Federal Government’s readiness to back Ogun’s model, describing it as a “stand-out template” for poverty reduction and childhood development.
According to him, the Presidency would not hesitate to support credible partnerships aimed at strengthening households and safeguarding the future of Nigerian children.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Evang. Olamilekan Ifede, charged food vendors and cooks engaged under the programme to uphold strict hygiene standards and deliver meals that meet nutritional requirements.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Funmi Efuwape, hailed the feeding intervention as a practical demonstration of corporate social responsibility. She called on other privileged individuals and organisations to emulate Hello International’s gesture.
In her remarks, the Founder and President of Hello International, Dr. Nkiruka Agbazue, stressed that the organisation is non-political and solely driven by a passion for child development and household empowerment.
Agbazue emphasised that children in Primary 1 to 3 were chosen because they are at the “foundation of intelligence,” where memory formation and problem-solving skills rapidly develop.
“When a child arrives at school hungry, the brain is forced to choose between learning and survival and it will always choose survival. That is why we stepped in, and we are ready to fund this programme ourselves,” she said.
State Programme Manager, Mrs. Olayinka Akinlade, disclosed that 400 pupils would benefit from each senatorial district, totalling 1,200 learners for the full session.
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