Edoovillage #2513 - Nigeria, Uboji-Ngwo: Canaan School Uboji | KSHG Münster
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Daniel Nnadi
I was at St. Joseph Parish Uboji Ngwo from August 2008 to February 2010 as their pioneer Parish Priest. Then, there was neither Church building nor Parish house. A Church structure was built during my stay there.
However, the poverty of the village people was then and is still today of a big concern to me. Moving two kilometers west from Uboji, is a motor park in an area called 9th mile. It is at this place that inhabitants of Uboji area go to, in search of means of survival. Thus, most of them, that are largely unschooled, take to petty trading along the very busy park and motor way. Thus, leading to a situation where under-aged children run after fast moving vehicles in order to sell some of their goods, mostly bread and water. Some of the young girls take to prostitution at 9th mile motor Park with its attendant dangers. Also, the Children are subjected by their helpless parents to Child labour. Back in the village, the inhabitants engage in hard farm work. The issue that is most disheartening is that a family of seven may spend their life for a whole year working in the farm just to earn something not worth more than 10,000 Naira (Û30).
Living in this pathetic situation, the Uboji people have no other place of succor outside the Church vis--vis the Priest. The pressure from the people made me to think of how the church could better the life of the villagers. After meetings, prayers, and consultations, I realized that to begin a change we need to train agents of change. Therefore, some of the church members started a formal school system in Uboji. We started with 63 children but today we have 158 children receiving lessons in the school. So, Uboji School was founded in 2008 in Uboji-Ngwo Nigeria from the smallest beginnings by the Catholic community Uboji, in the spirit of Òhope and future for the childrenÓ. Thanks to persistent work, many helpers, sponsors and donors, this school project can help people to help themselves in the long term afford children for the poor.
Our goals: In Uboji-Nigeria there are numerous children who are in great financial need. It is particularly bad for such children when their families expect the children to contribute to the family upkeep. Many families cannot afford state schools. There are also many half-orphans and street children to whom this also applies. That's why we set up this school so that all children can learn.
We all want to enjoy learning.
We have placed the children at the center of our school project in Uboji.
We give girls and boys a voice. We are committed to ensuring that girls and boys have the same rights and opportunities.
We work with local people. This means that we not only help to improve the life of a single child, but we help to change the entire village in a sustainable way.
But our greatest Challenge is that there are more children that need help of which we cannot alone do. It is in response to this that I shared my burden with the members of my former parish here in Germany (Pfarrei St. Franziskus Isselburg).
Fortunately, they welcomed the idea of assisting some of the indigent children with their school materials and fees. 72 children receive their writing materials, school uniform and sandals from some members of Pfarrei St. Franziskus.
The world is evolving and children in this school need also to evolve positively with the time. Therefore, I thought it helpful if the children get to know more about computer. Some of the teachers have basic knowledge of computer but there is only one computer in the school for the 158 pupils. I, therefore, solicit your help in providing more laptops for the pupils and the teachers.
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Date it was last updated: 31/08/24