A new scholarship initiative has been introduced in Kwara State to provide sustained educational support for orphans and vulnerable children.
The programme is designed to cover school fees, essential learning materials, and holiday classes, giving beneficiaries the resources to focus on their studies.
The scheme christened as the Mai Nasara Education Support Foundation, currently sponsors ten students on full scholarships from junior secondary school through university across a variety of professional courses.
In addition, 25 students from both public and private schools are receiving guidance under the initiative, which combines academic mentoring with moral support.
Nineteen of the beneficiaries are girls.
Speaking at a press conference during the unveiling in Il?rin, founder of the initiative and Dan Masani Gwanabe, Ahmad Muhammad, explained that the aim was to respond to the persistent challenges in the education sector and to provide opportunities for children who might otherwise be excluded due to financial constraints.
He said the move reflected a targeted effort to increase access to education for the girl child and address gaps in school attendance.
Muhammad said the programme was inspired by the progress made in Kwara State’s education sector in recent years and by the need to complement government efforts.
He emphasized that the foundation aims not only to support academic growth but also to nurture responsible and socially aware young adults who can contribute meaningfully to their communities.
According to him ‘The foundation has set a long-term target of N100 million to expand the reach of the scholarship programme.
He said this funding will enable the foundation to sustain support for existing students while increasing the number of beneficiaries and extending the programme to other underserved communities across the state.
He said the ultimate goal is to produce a generation of professionals and community leaders who have the skills, knowledge, and moral grounding to drive development in Kwara and beyond.
The initiative, he added, also includes measures to strengthen the students’ readiness for national examinations and professional challenges.