Touching Lives: How Aliston Care Foundation is helping vulnerable Nigerians

'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja

DAILY COURIER - One in every five of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria. Even though primary education is officially free and compulsory, about 10.5 million of the Nigerian children aged 5-14 years are not in school. Only 61 percent of 6-11 year-olds regularly attend primary school and only 35.6 percent of children aged 36-59 months receive early childhood education.

In the north, the picture is even bleaker, with a net attendance rate of 53 percent. Getting out-of-school children back into education poses a massive challenge.

Gender, like geography and poverty, is an important factor in the pattern of educational marginalization. States in the north-east and north-west have female primary net attendance rates of 47.7 percent and 47.3 percent, respectively, meaning that more than half of the girls are not in school. The education deprivation in northern Nigeria is driven by various factors, including economic barriers and socio-cultural norms and practices that discourage attendance in formal education, especially for girls.

Thankfully, organizations like Aliston Care Foundation stepped up to help. For the last two years, Aliston Care Foundation's aid has reached hundreds of out of school children, orphans and other indigent children in Abuja, Kaduna and Nasarawa states via education support, humanitarian aid, and rebuilding efforts. Through the generosity of donors, Aliston Care Foundation have facilitated aids in support of vulnerable Nigerians.

Support for schools and indigent students 

The aim of Aliston Care Foundation is to support the government in achieving SDGS 1 to 4 by 2030 through improved planning and by addressing some of the systemic barriers that hinder the implementation of an effective strategy for these goals.

State of the pupils before Aliston Care Foundation's intervention 

On 13th June, 2023 Aliston Care Foundation held a school outreach where its team visited a primary school in Nasarawa State. The pictures below painted a vivid picture of the sorry state of education in the school. On the visit, Aliston Care Foundation gave the school a dignified facelift and provided them with newly constructed school desks and renovated dilapidated school desks in the School. The visibly elated pupils is a clear expression of the impact of Aliston Care Foundation educational supplies.

Visibly elated pupils after Aliston Care Foundation's intervention 

Tuesday 20th June, 2023, Aliston Care Foundation School outreach held at LEA Primary School Papaladna Karu, LGA Nasarawa State Nigeria. Where it distributed 43 School Uniforms, 34 School Sandals and 39 socks to the indigent pupils of the School.

Before Aliston Care Foundation's intervention 

After Aliston Care Foundation's intervention 

Also, the school outreach extended to LEA Primary School Kudu Karu LGA Nasarawa State Nigeria on Monday 3rd July, 2023 were it distributed 25 school uniforms, 22 pairs of school sandals, 22 pairs of socks , 21 school bags , pencils and other educational supplies to indigent pupils of the school.

One of Aliston Care Foundation's intervention programme 

“Aliston Care Foundation is providing the opportunity for indigent children to learn in conducive environment. Our programs are specifically designed to support pupils and students with disabilities in rural communities and rural schools, by enrolling the ones that are out of school back to school, reaching out to indigent and vulnerable students or pupils through donations of sanitary materials, educational materials like ; school uniforms, school bags, school sandals, socks, exercise books sanitary pads, toiletries.

"In addition to vulnerable students, Within February 2022 to November 2023 our foundation has organized several outreaches , where we have trained 30 indigent widows, distributed food items to 26 indigent widows in Nasarawa State, distributed 31 newly constructed School Desks to a rural school in Nasarawa State and have also distributed school uniforms, bags, sandals , socks, exercise books among others within FCT Abuja , Nasarawa and Kaduna State.

Educational supplies to indigent students by Aliston Care Foundation 

"Donors’ generosity will help expand this laudable program, with grants they will reach more pupils, students and vulnerable Nigerians turning a low-key project into a massive commitment to eradicating poverty (SDG 1), Zero hunger (SDG 2), Good health and well-being (SDG 3), Quality education system (SDG 4), and Gender equality (SDG 5) in Nigeria by 2030 and beyond.

"This initiative was taken to Kaduna last year and this month is the maiden Abuja school outreach program that will see hundreds of indigent students within the FCT school system receive educational supplies while helping to fix dilapidated infrastructures. This is to make learning both fun and rewarding."

- Mr. Agbojeyin Tony Davies 

(Chief Executive Officer, Aliston Care Foundation)

SDGs 1-4 are achievable 

According to a UN report, progress towards achieving SDGS 1 to 4 was already slower than required before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has had devastating impacts on education, causing learning losses in four out of five of the 104 countries studied. 

Without additional measures, an estimated 84 million children and young people will stay out of school by 2030 and approximately 300 million students will lack the basic numeracy and literacy skills necessary for success in life.

In addition to free primary and secondary schooling for all boys and girls by 2030, the aim is to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to quality higher education.

Education is the key that will allow many other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved. When people are able to get quality education they can break from the cycle of poverty.

Education helps to reduce inequalities and to reach gender equality. It also empowers people everywhere to live more healthy and sustainable lives. Education is also crucial to fostering tolerance between people and contributes to more peaceful societies.

A call for partnership/ collaboration

Aliston Care Foundation is a non- ethnic, apolitical, non-religious and non-discriminatory entity .

It is purely founded and guided by its vision and mission statement with reputable persons as executives and trustees .

Aliston Care Foundation is desirous of partnership or collaboration spirited individuals, and corporate institutions to reach out to hopeless indigent students/pupils in rural schools.

In specific terms, free will donations of materials or financial assistance that will facilitate the realization of these objectives are welcome. All donations to the foundation are fully audited and mentions and acknowledgment are made including but not limited to Aliston Care Foundation social media platforms, banners in order to promote donors and collaborators.

Please find details of how to donate and other enquiries on: alistoncarefoundation.org

Looking to the Future

From education to healthcare to infrastructure, the projects donors have supported in partnership with Aliston Care Foundation have made a significant impact for vulnerable Nigerians. However, their work is far from over. The dire economic situation in country has resulted in an increasing number of people requiring additional support and assistance. Unfortunately, funds available to support the vulnerable have decreased. Despite that, Aliston Care Foundation continues to support the education and health needs of the poorest.

Together with Aliston Care Foundation and other charity partners, I believe we can weave a safety net of opportunity and resilience for Nigerians in need.