CSR Education News

Grooming Centre Renovates Abia School, Enhances Learning for Local Students

In a boost for education in Abia State, the non-governmental organisation Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre has completed a large-scale renovation of St. Peter’s Secondary School in Awomnuzie, Ikwuano Local Government Area.

The initiative has transformed the school with state-of-the-art classrooms, advanced science labs, and modern digital learning tools, which leaders hope will improve educational opportunities for local students.

Founded in 2006, Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre is known for its work in financially supporting Nigeria’s economically active poor, but its mission extends well beyond financial aid.

By investing in education, Grooming Centre aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed for economic independence. The renovation at St. Peter’s Secondary School is one of several education-focused initiatives the NGO has supported.

At the handover ceremony, Dr. Godwin Nwabunka, Founder and CEO of Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre, emphasized the organization’s commitment to community empowerment through education. “Empowering communities goes beyond providing financial services,” he stated. “It’s about shaping a future where poverty is reduced through education and opportunity. We believe that every child, regardless of background, deserves access to quality education. That’s why initiatives like this are at the heart of what we do.”

The project, completed in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, involved renovating classrooms and equipping laboratories for physics, chemistry, and biology. The school now also features a computer lab and new administrative offices. Interactive whiteboards, projectors, and other digital tools are part of the upgrades, creating an environment designed to prepare students for a technology-driven world.

Speaking on behalf of the Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Ukpong, Bishop of Umuahia, praised the organization’s commitment to empowering youth. “The management of Grooming Centre, led by Dr. Godwin Nwabunka, has provided students with an enabling environment that nurtures future leaders,” he said. “Their dedication to quality education is making a huge impact on the lives of these students, and we are grateful.”

Other projects by the organization include the Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme, an initiative offering scholarships to 931 secondary school students across Lagos. This program, now in its eighth year, funds Senior Secondary School fees for deserving Junior Secondary students, providing a foundation for them to pursue higher education and career opportunities.

Through scholarships and initiatives like the school renovation in Abia, Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre continues to demonstrate its commitment to fostering educational development in Nigeria.

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AWARD CEREMONY

The Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme initiative had its  award ceremony for the V edition on Thursday, August 26, 2021. The Centre has remained committed to promoting education and empowering students. Over the years, we have made significant impact with initiatives like the LKOSS, which has successfully awarded over 1,300 students with scholarships.

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The scholarship scheme also serves as a platform to support clients, empower children and contribute to the education and development and is set to cover three years of Senior Secondary School education. In other educational initiatives, preparation for the 2021 Grooming Centre University Grant Scheme is ongoing. The Scheme will provide 150 undergraduate and postgraduate students with research grants.

CSR Education

Grooming Centre donates E-library

Grooming Centre continues to provide corporate social support to the bottom of the pyramid in line with its mission and vision. In this vein, the Centre demonstrated its belief in the provision of quality education to every child by donating an E-library to St. Francis Catholic Secondary School Idimu, Lagos. The donation will further prepare the students for an increasingly digital future.

The E-library was presented on July 20, 2019 at the Graduation ceremony of the Class of ’19 by the Centre’s Chief Executive Officer and Guest Speaker of the occasion, Dr Godwin Nwabunka to the School Administrator, Rev. Fr. Leo Muoneme, SJ., with members of the Centre’s Management Team in attendance.

CSR Education

Donation of Block of Classroom to Abolarin College

The officially opening of the new classroom blocks at Abolarin College,  Oke-Ila Orangun donated by Grooming Centre held on the 6th of December , 2018. The ceremony included  speeches from  xxx and xxx, with other dignitaries in attendance were xxx and xxx. This reflects the Centre’s continuous dedication to promoting education for the less privileged.

CSR Education Talent Hunt

Grooming Talents

The Talents Transcend show, which was co-sponsored by Grooming Centre held on Thursday 25/10/2018 at Frankids hall in Festac, Lagos. The event organized by Talents Transcend Services hosted over 500 children between the ages of 7-15 years who competed  in the categories of Music, Dance and Creative Art. The children were judged by professionals and at the end, were given awards. GC was represented by SPM and PMM

CSR Education

Support to Abolarin College – Free Tuition and Boarding for Underprivileged Children

Abolarin College was established to provide free quality education to underprivileged children from deprived families that cannot afford to send their children to standard schools. The school provides full tuition and boarding facilities in the serene environment of Oke-Ila, Osun State. Grooming Centre has donated toward the upkeep of the students of Abolarin College and, till date, is committed to contributing to the development of a conducive learning atmosphere and provision of learning materials in the college.

CSR Education Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Grant

Awardees Emerge from the 2nd Edition of Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme

Saturday 17th March 2018 – 91 children of Grooming Centre’s clients, across the 23 states of Nigeria where the Centre operates, were awarded scholarships toward the continuation of their secondary school studies in the second edition of the Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme [LKOSS II]. In the Lagos award ceremony, four winners all smartly dressed in their school uniforms, were accompanied by their proud mothers as they arrived for the prize-giving ceremony that took place at the Grooming Splash event on March 17, 2018.

Master Babatunde Idowu, a recipient of the award, said he always wanted to make his mum proud and was happy that he could do so through the LKOSS. He said, “I told my mum that I would make her happy this year and I am happy that Grooming Centre helped me keep my promise to her”. Beaming with smiles, the other awardees from Lagos, Oyelaja Oyenike, Oladotun Mercy and Onifade Abdulazeez thanked the Centre for the awards and promised to work harder in their studies.

The Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme is a corporate social responsibility initiative of Grooming Centre that addresses the educational welfare of the children of its clients, and is open to students seeking admission into the senior secondary school class. The second edition of the scholarship will enable this year’s recipients selected from across Nigeria to have access to sustained quality education. Last year, 78 awardees emerged in the maiden edition of the LKOSS. Each awardee will receive prize money for the scholarship awards running for three (3) consecutive years.

CSR Education Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Grant

Grooming Centre empowers students in maiden Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme

For Owoyemi James Oluwafemi, Lazarus Miracle Chidera, Idris Garuba Olashile and Okoroafor Chinelo, Saturday March 11th 2017 will remain an unforgettable day in their lives and their proud parents. It was the day the 2016 Grooming Splash edition was held and it featured a maiden event – the Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme awards [LKOSS] – where they were rewarded for their academic excellence.

The Lady Kate Okafor Scholarship Scheme is an initiative of Grooming Centre that seeks to address the educational welfare of the children of its clients, particularly those seeking admission into the senior secondary school class. Candidates for the awards were drawn across the country [Nigeria] and shortlisted after notice of the scholarship was advertised in local and electronic media in November 2016. The LKOSS is inspired by the exemplary life and character of late Lady Kate Okafor, a former member of the Governing Council of Grooming Centre.

Each of the awardees received the prize money for the scholarship awards. Expressing joy, one of the awardees Miss Okoroafor Chinelo was full of praise to Grooming Centre, adding that she was excited to be able to continue her secondary school education through the benevolence extended by the Centre. She also thanked the Centre for making her weekend a truly memorable one. See pictures below.