By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Bothered by the challenges faced by displaced children in Benue State, the Rosemary Ihuoma Okereke, RIO, Foundation has launched the ‘Rays of Hope’ project, an educational initiative aimed at empowering over 200 children, parents and community leaders through access to essential learning opportunities at the Ortese Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp, Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of the state.

The two-day initiative provided the targeted participants and beneficiaries within the ages of six and 17 the opportunity of learning various new skills to improve their knowledge including hygiene education.

The Project Lead of RIO Foundation, Jerry Momoh noted that the intervention was held in Ortese IDPs camp between September 5 and 6, 2024 because “Benue State has been facing a critical challenge with over 155,000 out-of-school children, many of whom reside in IDP camps.

“The ‘Rays of Hope’ project attempts to tackle this crisis head on by providing a comprehensive educational platform for children between the ages of 6 and 17.

“Our goal is to ignite a passion for learning and equip these children with critical skills essential for their future. We believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and displacement.”

According to him, “the event’s curriculum was carefully crafted to cover a wide range of crucial areas such as Digital Literacy where children were given foundational skills for thriving in an increasingly digital world through hands-on experience with computers, STEM Education where  participants explored science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts through interactive storytelling and hands-on activities, Life Skills which equipped the children with valuable tools for personal development, problem-solving and critical thinking and sessions on personal hygiene, mental health, and nutrition provided essential knowledge for overall well-being.”

He noted that “though the intervention was targeted at 200 participants, parents and community leaders were also allowed to attend.”

Momoh stated that the success of the ‘Rays of Hope’ project was made possible through the generous support of donors and partners including the Nigerian Dental Association, Genesis Medevac, Eleven One Bytes and several individual donors.

Quoting the founder of RIO Foundation Dr. Ihuoma Okereke, the Project Lead said, “the support from our donors and partners has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life. Their commitment to education and community development has truly made a difference in the lives of these children.”

He emphasised that “the success of the ‘Rays of Hope’ project has paved the way for future initiatives. The ‘Rays of Hope’ project is more than a temporary solution. It is a stepping stone towards building a future for these children. The Foundation has announced plans to conduct follow-up assessments and potentially expand the program to other IDP camps in the region.

“As the dust settles on this impactful event, the smiles on the faces of the participating children serve as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of education. The ‘Rays of Hope’ project has not only imparted knowledge but has also kindled a flame of aspiration in a community that has faced unimaginable challenges.”

He urged spirited individuals, groups or organisations to support the initiative.

Speaking on the intervention, the Ortese IDPs camp Chairman, Samuel Imbila who thanked RIO Foundation for remembering the needy described the programme as novel saying “no one of us can imagine that an IDP would be exposed to the use of the computer and alot of other things that would make life meaningful for our displaced children. We are indeed grateful.”

On his part, the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Camp Manager, Mr. Mark Terver said “we cannot thank RIO Foundation enough for bringing the project to Ortese. We urge them to extend this intervention to other IDP camps in the state because it is impactful.”

A Community Leader James Mnsuther praised the RIO Foundation initiative “for bringing a renewed sense of hope to our community because we have seen our children light up with curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.”