Sunday Ehigiator
Executive Chef and Owner, Chef Fregz, Gbubemi Fregene, has partnered Slum2School through the FregzDucation initiatives, to sponsor no fewer than 100 indigent children from the slum back to school.
At its maiden annual charity fund raising dinner, recently held in Lagos State, and attended by over 40 guests including the MD/CEO Sterling Bank, Abukaka Suleiman; Executive Vice Chairman, Globacom, Bella Disu, and Co-founder Sahara Group, Tonye Cole amongst others, Fregene revealed that FregzDucation is an annual charity fundraising dinner to raise money to send a minimum of 100 children to school who ordinarily cannot afford education even at a grassroots level.
“These are kids particularly from the slum areas in the metropolis of Lagos State, Nigeria. This initiative seeks to further throw the spotlight on the cause of Slum2School; showing that it is possible to give more children across lower social strata a chance at winning in life.
“It took a village to raise me and I realised one day that I have a platform, a voice and I thought it was time to do something. I saw this is an opportunity to not just raise money but share my craft and impact communities while at it.
“FregzDucation is beyond teaming up with Slum2School. It is an empowerment programme that puts children in schools. As the brand expands, we will help children achieve their dreams and give them a real chance at life. FregzDucation is really about educating and empowering children who really do not have the opportunity to go to school and I relate with this because I was once that child.”
Fregene likewise expressed optimism in drafting some of the children into taking entrepreneurship classes, side by side their education with a view of them having opportunities to express their skill sets and talents even as they enjoy free education in the four walls of a school.
Speaking on the Slum2School vision, Chairperson of the Board of Directors Slum2School, Mrs. Alero Ayida-Otobo said, the Slum2School vision was borne out of the need to help the individual child, and it’s committed to putting over 13 million children in schools.
“Slum2School is committed to the vision of putting over 13 million children in schools and transforming their destinies.
“Slum2School is a volunteer-driven development organisation transforming the society by empowering underserved children in slums and remote communities with quality education, entrepreneurial skills, and psychosocial support to enable them to realise their full potential and become social reformers.
“We recognise that there are severe shortcomings in the educational sector in Africa and in this area, we are committed to transforming the lives of Africa’s most precious resource; her children.
“We provide educational scholarships, create safe learning spaces, use 21st century pedagogy and technology to improve learning outcomes and provide several other health and psychosocial supports for underserved children in slums and hard to reach communities.
“This is achieved by collaborating with the government, private sector, individuals, civil society organisations and other developmental agencies towards building a resourceful and sustainable network. Most importantly building a network of socially responsible community of volunteers committed to social reformation.”
Highlights of the evening was a live performance by six Slum2School children, which had the audience reminiscing as they sang along to nursery rhymes and secondary school songs.
