By Our Reporter
BAKASSI (CONVERSEER) – Displaced children in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State received a boost at the weekend as the Refuge Foundation for Displaced Persons launched its annual Kits4Kids project at Esighi Primary School.
The initiative, which targets school-aged children in internally displaced persons (IDP) communities, provided hundreds of pupils with school bags, exercise books, pencils, erasers and other learning materials to ease the burden on parents at the start of the new academic session.
Founder of the foundation, Ogonna Kanu, said the project was designed to support vulnerable children who are often left behind in Nigeria’s education system due to the hardships of displacement.
“The Kits4Kids project is something we do every year in different communities. We distribute school supplies to displaced children to support their parents and encourage education.
“This is our first time in Cross River, and we chose Bakassi because of the number of displaced persons here,” Kanu explained.
She noted that the organisation, though small and volunteer-driven, has so far reached over 400 children since its inception. Past editions of the project have been held in Lagos and Oyo States.
At the event, community leaders and school officials described the intervention as timely and impactful.
Headteacher of Government Primary School, Ogkuku Barakpa, Mr Orok Duke, said many parents in the area struggle to provide basic school materials for their children.
“Most parents cannot afford to buy books or bags, but this programme will encourage them to send their children to school. We are very glad for this support,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs Nyong Nsa, a teacher at Government Primary School, Esighi, commended the foundation, adding that the donation had lifted the morale of pupils.
“We have seen bags, books, pencils, erasers and other items. The children are so excited, and we truly appreciate what the Refuge Foundation has done for us,” she said.
A former councillor of Ward 2, Esighi, Hon. Felix Eyo, who helped facilitate the programme, described the initiative as a “life-changing intervention” for children in the community, many of whom, he noted, have been displaced due to the lingering border dispute with Cameroon.
“Some of our children are in tattered clothes and face hardship daily. This kind of support adds value to education and encourages them to stay in school. As displaced people, we need more assistance from both the government and NGOs,” Eyo said.
He revealed that pupils from three primary schools in Esighi benefited from the programme to ensure wider reach.
Community members expressed gratitude to the organisation, urging more humanitarian groups to extend similar support to displaced populations in Bakassi and other parts of the country.
The Refuge Foundation, established by Kanu after her research into displacement and peacebuilding, continues to advocate for greater attention to the plight of internally displaced persons across Nigeria.
