As part of its efforts in touching lives and caring for the needy, the Israel Ibeleme Foundation (IFF) has donated some educational materials to about 200 students and awarded scholarship to five outstanding less-privileged students of the Junior Secondary School JSS School, Gossamer, Abuja.

Principal of the school, Mr Michael Achi, while welcoming participants to the school premises on Wednesday, said: “I am glad to be the chief host of this programme. I believe the pioneer had a humble background and that is why he is giving back to the society by touching other people’s lives in his own little way. We have gathered here not in vain. What is presented to our students today as succour here will be much appreciated and not despised. It is not small and would go a long way in the lives of the recipients.”

Speaking at the event, the Founder of the Foundation, Mr Israel Ibeleme, said he embarked on the project by divine mandate, promising to touch the lives of 900 students this year alone.

Ibeleme said: “My mission is to impart meaning into the lives of people, especially the poor. This is the eleventh year of this project and this programme is being carried out to assist and support the have-nots. I started in 2006 by helping the elderly with just N10,000 after which I embarked on another project that helped 150 people and later 2,000 and more.”

Ibeleme added that the foundation, in 2016, visited an IDP camp in the FCT and assisted over 1,000 victims of insurgency from the North East. He assured that the project would continue to give the needy a better life and build their hopes against all odds.

Chairman, Universal Basic Education UBE, Mr Emmanuel, in his address described the efforts of the foundation to give succour to underprivileged students as unprecedented. According to him, “This is worthy of emulation as it would make the students benefit from the gesture.”

He however appealed to the CEO to extend the gesture to other schools in the future.

Also speaking at the occasion, Wife of the Minister of Transportation, Mrs Judith Amaechi, hailed the initiative, saying: “Ibeleme has come to make a difference.”

She also indicated that “there can be no better opportunity than giving attention to the needy. I am really shocked by this because I usually think I am the only person that always has the urge to render help but Israel is doing better. It is not a function of having much. If everyone of us can feel the pain of others and reach out to them, we will make a huge difference and create a sense of relief in our society. I am really challenged and glad to have someone like Israel.”