The Centre’s continuous commitment to providing humanitarian support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) goes from rehabilitation to equipping them with basic survival skills and more. A 2 day training organized by SESOR Empowerment Foundation and Grooming Centre for internally displaced persons was conducted from 20th-21st September 2018 in Aboki Estate Lekki. The training which was attended by the CEO of SESOR and 57 internally displaced persons focused on Financial literacy, Pre Loan Process, Health and Hygiene. The Centre seeks to support and educate internally displaced persons by exposing them to the necessary knowledge and equipping them with skills to survive.
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.
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
Support to Sesor to Aid Rehab of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria
Sesor is an NGO working to support survivors of emergencies, especially internally displaced persons through programmes in emergency relief and rehabilitation in Nigeria. Grooming Centre is partnering with Sesor to provide relief materials and psychosocial counseling for IDPs. The Centre has supported Sesor to aid her mission to rehabilitate IDPs and provide food, healthcare services and counselling for them.
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.
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.
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.
Grooming Centre and Sesor renew support partnership
Friday, 10th of August 2018, was an important day as Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre renewed its partnership support to Sesor Empowerment Foundation (Sesor) by donating ₦10.2 million toward the development of a Safe Day Space Centre and the continuing work of rehabilitating and reintegrating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Lagos and Benue States.
The focus of Sesor Empowerment Foundation (Sesor) has progressed from highlighting the displacement issues present in the country to seeking ways to provide basic needs and skills acquisition to empower internally displaced women. This partnership, now in its fifth year, is targeted at creating a safe place where displaced women and children can access social support, receive trauma counseling, skill acquisition and adequate health-care as they are nurtured back into the society.
Speaking at the event, which held at Grooming Centre’s Conference Room in the Head Office Complex, the Executive Director of Sesor Foundation, Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, expressed her appreciation for the “life-changing and humbling partnership” with Grooming Centre. She stated that the support given by Grooming Centre to the Sesor Empowerment Foundation helped Sesor create more awareness of the situation of displaced women and children in Nigeria, which created a catalyst for other partners to come onboard. She further added that the Safe Day Space Centre will help displaced women earn a living, feed better, live better, provide the opportunity to send their children to school, and ultimately, give them a sense of dignity.
While signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the CEO of Grooming Centre, Dr. Godwin Nwabunka expressed his gratitude for the work done by Sesor and pointed out the need for a joint study on the journey so far with Sesor.
Read more about this on the Guardian.
Bolanle Ishola
I am Mrs. Bolanle Ishola, the secretary of Temidire Union, Abeokuta 2 Branch, Elega, Abeokuta, Ogun State. I reside at Iberekodo Area of Abeokuta. I got to know about Grooming Centre around March 2010, when Grooming Centre came to Abeokuta. Before I obtained loans from Grooming Centre, I experienced financial constraints in running my provision business and was unable to replenish my stock regularly. The first loan I received from Grooming Centre was NGN20,000 and I am presently on the 5th [Small] loan stage (NGN70,000). I am also on the 3rd stage of the Festival loan (NGN50,000). The current profit from my business makes payment of children’s school fees easy. I have also been able to buy a piece of land on which I am currently erecting a house. The good thing about Grooming’s loans is that the repayment is well spread, making it easy to pay back. Also, the encouragement to save enables me to have personal savings for various needs. I am so grateful because my life and those of my family has changed for better since the day Grooming Centre came to Abeokuta.
Omolara Oyewole
I am Mrs. Omolara Oyewole, the leader of Ifesowapo Union in Ijoko branch, Ogun State. I sell baby products. My friend invited me to join Ifesowapo union in early 2010. Since I joined, I have had no cause to regret my action. The first loan I took was NGN20,000 and I am presently on the 5th stage. From the gains of my business, I have been able to sponsor my son through polytechnic education without owing anyone. Also, the shop I use presently was built from the proceeds of my business. Grooming Centre loans are very good compared to other microloans that I have tried before because of the simplicity in repaying them.