Crystal Foundation puts smile on faces of Makoko pupils

Makoko is a shanty town on the lagoon, just across the 3rd Mainland Bridge located on the coast of Lagos Mainland.

Established in the 19th Century, much of Makoko rests on structures constructed on stilts above the Lagos Lagoon.

Over the years, the communities started sand filling the area around the lagoon and today, you will see brick buildings surrounding some of the stilt structures.

There seems to be children lurking everywhere in the Ago Egun community. Most of them look unkempt in tattered clothes and bare feet.

The question that readily come to mind is: are these children getting the basic things of life such as food water, and education?

Crystal Foundation, a non-governmental organisation with a vision to put smiles on the faces of children and widows went on a fact finding mission and were quite appalled by their findings.

The founder of this NGO, Miss Mimi Bumah, a second year student of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, said she was quite shocked to realise that most of these children were out of school, while those in school, don’t have reading materials like text books to help in their learning process.

She said, “Before embarking on this reach out program to Makoko, we had visited one of the schools in this place about two weeks ago to ask them what they really needed in the school. We found out that it was only the teacher that has text books in class. I wondered how they were able to do assignments or do their comprehension tests and exercises. We found out that the teacher just writes it on the board and then the students can copy into their notebooks or they drop the text book on the table and the students copy and they take turns in doing that. So you can imagine how that will waste a lot of time and some of them might sleep off or lose interest entirely. So they told us they needed a printer, photocopying machine, textbooks and arts materials.

I noticed that the children living here like art works a lot. From the ones we saw when we went to their school, we noticed that their paintings and drawings were quite good and need to be encouraged. That’s why Crystal Foundation decided to come and lend a helping hand so they can study better. So we brought a printer that has a photocopier and scan. We brought A4 papers so the teacher can easily make photocopies of these textbooks and distribute to the pupils for easy learning. We also brought art materials, pencils and notebooks and little refreshments because we know children like to have fun and enjoy themselves.”

19-year-old Miss Bumah said it was her passion to help children in need that gave birth to Crystal Foundation which will serve as a platform for her to express her God-given passion to help the poor and needy around her.

“It was the plight of these children that made me want to reach out to them. I’m an undergraduate of the University of Lagos and when going back to school, I used to see them, especially under that Jibowu bridge. I see small children begging for soft drinks, even the water I’m holding in my hand that I’ve drank halfway. I always feel that pity for them. I even wanted to go into feeding of these young children but you know feeding is a very delicate thing; you can give food to someone and if anything happens, they will say you are the one that poisoned that child. That’s why I decided to do more on education, that will even help to push them towards greatness.”

It was that need to see children living in the slum get better learning experience at school that Mimi, as she’s fondly called, took members of her organisation to give reading materials to children of Mayor Wisdom Academy, Makoko.

In her speech, while delivering the items to the pupils and school proprietor, Mimi said, “By Gods grace this is the first charity reach out of Crystal Foundation and we decided to start with the Makoko community in Lagos State. We found out that we have about 86.9 million people living in poverty in Nigeria and that’s like over 50% of us if I’m not mistaken.

This foundation was setup by me, strongly supported by my beautiful team, to support communities or persons we know that can’t really afford somethings in terms of education, shelter, clothing etc. We are here to cater for the needy and ensure better life for them and also render selfless service to humanity.

“The reason I picked Makoko for my first reach out is that I’ve heard so much about the slum. I had to pay a visit first to that area. I went with one of my foundation members, Eniola Sosan. We visited the Ago Egun part of Makoko to know what they really need in the area. This is because we believe that education is needed by every child to become someone important in the society.”

This gesture was warmly received by the Bale of Ago Egun community, Makoko, Chief Victor Panke, who expressed his appreciation to Miss Bumah and her organisation.

“It’s rare to see young people of her age want to help other children and we are happy with what she has come to do for our children. Education is key and we welcome anyone that desire to help our children get better education,” he said.

Chief Panke lamented the lack of government’s presence in the education of children living in Makoko.

“We don’t have any presence of government school here in Makoko, none at all! We are the ones helping ourselves to provide education for our children. Thank God for NGOs like this that come once in a while to lend helping hands through basic materials and scholarships. We implore the new government of Lagos State to come to our help in terms of educating our children through the establishment of government schools.”

Also speaking at the program, the proprietor of Mayom Wisdom Academy, Makoko, Apostle Paul Omolere, said he was overwhelmed by the giving spirit of this young lady and her friends.

“I was quite impressed with this young woman who came few weeks ago to ask what our challenges were and they came back to fulfill their promise. Before now, the pupils contribute money to do photocopy because they don’t have textbooks. Today she came along with writing materials, printing papers and a photocopier with printer and scanning facility and we are so grateful for this!” he enthused.

According to Apostle Omolere, Makoko is sprawling with over 7000 pupils who desire quality education but their parents are poor and might not take them further than primary or secondary education.

“The future of these children living here is bright. Both Ilaje and Egun indigenes are bright. Before now, the Egun indigenes do not bother about education, or putting their children through school. Now, they make more efforts to send their children to school. I tell you, in the next ten years or so, Egun will not be the same as we know it now it today,” he stated.

Its with hope that Crystal Foundation’s visit to lend a helping hand to children living in slums like Makoko, will also tug on the heart strings of others to help the needy and less privileged to attain a level of education that will brighten up their future.