Each One Train One is a call for well off Mbaduku to return home and pick one indigent student and pay their school fees 100 percent. The 100 for 100 was a target set to attract a minimum of 100 Mbaduku citizens to return to Mbaduku and pick one student each. Hence, 100 for 100. This effort is to 'catch them young' and avoid Mbaduku students dropping out of school and heading to Kurumi. Kurumi is migrant work where human traffickers lure young boys and girls to promises of phantoms jobs in southern Nigeria, or African countries like Libya, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana and even European countries.
On April 5, 2023, I received a text asking for the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) account details so a pledge to sponsor two needy children—one from Mbatyough and one from Nyumangbagh—could be fulfilled. The message was followed by an early-morning phone call from our dear brother, Dr Jeffrey Kuraun, requesting the account details. There had been no prompting; the generosity was entirely voluntary. I was deeply moved, and my whole day was blessed. The transfer was:
- Credit: 204XXXX084
- Amount: NGN162,000.00
- Date: 05-APR-2023 07:40:40
- Description: FIP:ACC/JEFFEREY ISAAC KUR/TRFFRM JEFFER.
- Balance: NGNxxxCR
- Pay with FirstOnline
I have also received calls and messages from people asking whether the NGN81,000 sponsorship must be paid at once. The answer is no. It can be paid in installments—for example, NGN10,000 monthly for eight months, in two payments of NGN41,000 and NGN40,000, or in four installments of about NGN20,000. The bottom line is simple: choose whatever payment plan works best for you. Several Mbaduku people are already doing so. At this time, the school fees was 81,000 for the entire 6 years of secondary school education in MCSST. Now, it is 8,000 per term. Multiple by 3 terms in a year. And multiple by 6 years of school comes to: 144,000 for the entire 6 years of High School education in MCSST.
TERNA Tamber, Barrister Lubem Ukpo, Mhir ADE, Mercy ADE, Mr Terfa Igbanongo, Lady Jummaima Tamber, Solomon Terver IORZUA, Godman Iyordyeh, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, Robert Terlumun Akpenpuun, Brig. Gen. Terlumun India Garba, Mrs Ann Yaji, Mercy Adura, Terungwa Adura, Kwaghdoo Atsor Nyamor, MDA Karu and Lagos branches and others contacted me at different times to ask when they could begin. Some made inquiries more than a year ago and patiently waited while the bank accounts were opened and receipts prepared. When the process finally began, one volunteer even apologized for falling behind on the payment plan. I was blown away by this level of commitment and keeping faith with Mbaduku.
The SBMC has now printed receipts, which will be issued once the full NGN144,000 sponsorship amount has been paid.
We also now have a dataset of 100 needy children, each coded with a unique identifier. Every child is matched with a benefactor. We plan to encourage virtual letter writing so children can share updates with their sponsors without necessarily knowing their identities, unless a sponsor requests to meet the child.
Through this child-sponsorship interaction, children will provide updates on their school progress, including grades, attendance and extracurricular activities. The SBMC will supervise the process to ensure it does not become an avenue for requesting money or gifts. The letters will be written together in a supervised setting to discourage coaching or copying.
This will allow sponsors to follow each child's progress over time. It may also help identify concerns about teaching and learning where a child's academic or written progress remains weak.
Please reach out to indicate your interest and choose a payment plan that suits you. You can also encourage your biological children of age to participate and pick a child. It is a simple but effective way to teach giving, empathy, sharing, gratitude and love for our neighbours, especially those in need.
God bless you as you consider joining this initiative.
This is Shange la Mwem at its best!
God bless MDA! God bless Mbaduku!!