By Aliyu Bala Gerengi, Gombe
The Misilli Community Development Foundation has expanded its education intervention in Gombe State, enrolling another 60 children into primary schools and raising the number of beneficiaries under its programme to 210 since its establishment.
The latest beneficiaries were formally inducted during the foundation’s fourth intake ceremony held at the residence of its founder, Alhaji Isma’il Uba Misilli, in Dawaki Quarters, Gombe.
The development highlights the growing role of community-based organisations in widening access to education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those who may otherwise struggle to remain in school.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Foundation Coordinator, Yusuf Hamza, said the organisation was established in 2018 with a broad mandate covering education, healthcare and community development.
He, however, explained that education remained the foundation’s major area of intervention because of its long-term impact on individuals and communities.
Hamza said the foundation had over the years assisted children from less-privileged families through school enrolment, scholarships and support for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions.
He added that the organisation had also provided JAMB forms to beneficiaries while collaborating with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) programme to make educational materials available to children.
According to him, the latest intake brings the number of children supported by the foundation since inception to 210.
He said the intervention was driven by the belief that financial hardship should not prevent children from acquiring basic education.
Government representatives and stakeholders at the event commended the foundation for complementing public-sector efforts to address educational challenges in the state.
The representative of the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, described the initiative as a valuable contribution to the state’s education agenda.
Other speakers, including the Commissioner for Local Governments, Barrister Sani A. A. Haruna; Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Muhammad Gambo Magaji; Gombe Local Government Chairman, Professor Abubakar Bappah Garkuwa; and Member representing Gombe North, Ali Baba Manu, urged individuals, philanthropists and corporate organisations to support the foundation.
They noted that broader partnerships would enable the organisation to reach more children and extend its interventions to communities where educational needs remain significant.
The Gombe State representative of AGILE, Alhaji Jabiru Kilawa, also praised the partnership, stressing that collaborative initiatives of the kind could contribute to improving access to quality education, particularly among girls.
He said stronger cooperation between government agencies and community-based organisations could help address some of the barriers preventing children from accessing and completing their education.
The Gombe Local Government Education Secretary, Hamza Baba, described education as a fundamental right of every child.
He said the state government, through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), had continued to enrol thousands of out-of-school children as part of efforts to improve access to basic education.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Inuwa Yahaya on Almajiri Matters and elder statesman, Alhaji Yaya Hammari, commended Misilli Foundation for sustaining its intervention among vulnerable members of society.
Hammari said the foundation’s activities demonstrated how private individuals and organisations could complement government programmes in addressing social and educational challenges.
For the founder, Alhaji Isma’il Uba Misilli, the initiative was born out of a desire to give practical support to children and families facing difficult circumstances.
Misilli said the foundation was established to complement government efforts by providing assistance to less-privileged children, orphans and other vulnerable members of society.
He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to sustaining its education intervention while exploring ways to expand its humanitarian and community development programmes.
The ceremony also featured recognition and support for outstanding beneficiaries, with bicycles, school bags and textbooks presented to selected pupils.
Beyond education, the foundation extended its intervention to women and elderly persons, with 200 beneficiaries receiving N10,000 each as empowerment support.
The combination of school enrolment, educational materials and direct assistance to vulnerable adults, organisers said, reflects the foundation’s broader approach to community development.
With its latest intake taking the number of education beneficiaries to 210, the Misilli Community Development Foundation is positioning its intervention as a continuing effort to keep more children in school while supporting vulnerable families across Gombe State.
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