In keeping with its need-driven social intervention scheme, leading oil conglomerate, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL (NNPC/CNL JV), in partnership with the Jewels of Africa Foundations (JOA) have recently donated over 12,000 books to Nigerian schools.
The books majoring on Science, Mathematics as well as English language were donated to 37 public schools in Delta and Ondo States.
Details in a statement made available to Business Hilights on Thursday in Lagos showed that 16 of the schools that benefited from the donation are located in the Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State, while the remaining 21 schools are located in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Giving insights during the presentation ceremony, Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Brikinn Esimaje said “The donation is in line with the NNPC/CNL JV’s Tradition of Care which includes a robust support for quality education in the pursuit of its Social Investment obligations. The company views education as a crucial social service that needs inclusive support”.
Brikinn further stated that CNL was very pleased to have partnered with several state governments in Nigeria over the years; including Ondo and Delta States Governments; in adding value to people’s lives in the areas of Education, Health and Economic Development. He iterated that between 2007 and 2016, over fifteen thousand, nine hundred (15,900) undergraduates and secondary school students from Ondo and Delta states have benefitted from CNL’s scholarships. These include visually impaired &physically challenged students.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of Jewels of Africa Foundations (Africa Chapter), Mr. Deji Haastrup, explained that the book donation project was inspired by Mrs. Lara Gureje Oderinde, President and Founder of JOA, who realized the need to support government and public schools in rural areas to improve their academic performance.
According to him, JOA partnered with CNL on the book donation because the aim of his organization is “…to reach out and begin to engage African youths through education by equipping them with skills, opportunities, tools, resources and abilities that would help transform their lives and make them what they should be. We work to prime and position the youth to be future leaders and agents of change in a rapidly changing world, and help them stay relevant in the 21st century.”
