A lecturer with the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), Associate Professor Hawa’u Mainoma, has asserted that the size of a nation will depend on the level of training and investments on the children by parents and government at all levels.
Mainoma, who is the Director for Gender Studies of the university, gave this assertion while speaking at Andy Links Foundation’s 1st Abuja Train a Child Project/Award at the Merit House, Maitama Abuja on Saturday, noting that, for Nigeria to attain its dream place in the comity of nations, the country must have a positive change of attitude by investing heavily in the development of its children.
She also called on individuals, groups and organisations, including academics, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and business barons “to deliberately concentrate efforts and resources on holistic moral, social as well as scientific technological development of every child,” for the attainment of greatness.
Guest speaker at the occasion, Princess Chioma Nwosu, educationist and USAID Ambassador on early grade reading in Nigeria, called on parents and governments at all levels to always look out for something that will capture the method of bringing the best out of every child.
The founder Andy Links Foundation, Andy Bassey Ubong, in his welcome address, said the foundation was set out to alleviate poverty, promote health, socio-economic development and status of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in community settings and adopting communication mechanism that will affect their lives positively.
According to Andy Bassey, “We want to see communities were vulnerable and disadvantaged people live positive and sustainable lives as their right. This will reduce poverty, increase good health among vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society.”
Among the services provided by the Foundation are; baseline/formative research, primary health care, adolescent health department programmes, communicable/non – communicable disease prevention control such as high blood pressure, sugar level, glaucoma, cataract as well as empowerment programmes such as trainings, micro-finance, and social welfare.
