By Ahmad Adamu, Bauchi
A Corps Member, Oluwafolaranmi Salami, has carried out a Community Development Service (CDS) project worth N360,000 in Gwallameji Nursery and Primary School, in Bauchi LGA, Bauchi State.
The project single-handedly carried out by Salami, who was posted to the Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, included the construction of 20 pieces of three seater desks, renovation and painting of a dilapidated school library, purchase of two white marker boards, purchase of markers, among others.
Speaking at the inauguration of the project by the State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Monday, Salami with batch number BA/21/0674, said he came up with the idea when he was posted to the school as an Enumeration Officer in 2021 for the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
He stated that upon his arrival at the school, he discovered that most of the pupils were sitting on the bare floor while being taught by their teachers in the classrooms.
The Batch-A Corps member said he was touched on sighting the pupils in that condition and then decided to embark on a project that would change the narrative for the pupils.
“When I came to the school for the programme, I realised that they lacked chairs and the pupils were sitting on bare floor.
“The state of the school was in a bad condition. So, I took it upon myself to do something tangible for the pupils.
“I spent nothing less than N360,000 on this project. I thank God for the success of it and I feel fulfilled because my mind was not at rest after sighting those little children sitting on bare floor,” Salami said.
He urged the students to be serious with their studies so they could become Corps Members in future.
He further appealed to other corps members to contribute their quota in their respective places of primary assignment.
Speaking, the Bauchi State Coordinator of NYSC, Alhaji Namadi Abubakar, represented by Mr Onyike Ochi, Assistant Director, Deployment and Relocation, applauded the Corps member for his contributions while serving his fatherland.
He said that history would never forget the wonderful gesture he had shown the school.
Also speaking, Mrs. Gbemisola Salami, Assistant Director, CDS, expressed great pleasure of the NYSC on the Corps member, adding that the Corps had always encouraged Corps members to embark on personal meaningful projects that will be beneficial to their host communities.
Equally, Mr. Ahmad Garba, the Headmaster of the school, who appreciated the Corps member for the gesture, promised to protect them from being wilfully damaged.
