By Gabriel Dike
Grooming Center, Ejigbo, Lagos has awarded scholarship grant to 139 undergraduates and graduates of universities.
At the 5th edition of the 2023 Grooming Center university grant award, the lucky undergraduate and graduates were presented with cheques. A breakdown of the 139 grant winners, showed that 50 graduates received N200, 000 each and 89 undergraduates got N100, 000 cheques.
In his speech at the award ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer, Grooming Center, Dr. Godwin Nwabunka said the scholarship scheme was initiated in 2019 to contribute to the nation’s educational development and poverty alleviation.
According to him, the scheme was envisioned by the Governing Council and management of Grooming Center to be a catalyst in research and knowledge development in the areas of social enterprise, microfinance, poverty alleviation and rural development.
Nwabunka, who was represented by the Executive Director, Mr. Alex Enyinnah said the center has been in the frontline of the crusade to eradicate poverty in the country through the introduction of various scheme targeting women and families at the bottom of the pyramid.
He highlighted some of the progammes that the center has launched since its establishment 16 years ago including Grooming splash, 10-year loyalty reward, help initiative, IDPs employment and support through sesor, Grooming talent hunt, Lady Kate Okafor scholarship scheme and the Grooming Center university grant scheme.
The CEO of the center explained that Lady Kate Okafor scholarship scheme and the GC-university grant scheme is major programme directly focusing on educational development.
He revealed that the Lady Kate Okafor scholarship scheme recently produced 2,700 winners and is targeted at senior secondary students while the GC-university grant scheme is focused at tertiary institutions in the country.
“The Grooming Center has also spend over N500million in the bursary awards to winners and administration of both schemes, “he stated.
Nwakunba further disclosed that the grant technical committee picked the 139 winners after review of over 340 projects submitted.
He added: “The 139 winners comprises 89 undergraduates and 50 postgraduates. There were also seven doctoral students amongst the 50 postgraduates winners.”
The founder of the center explained that the university grants scheme, which started in 2019 with 25 winners from eight tertiary institutions, has steadily grown to 139 winners.
“Though 2023 number of winners still falls short of the annual target of 150 winners, however, when compared to the numbers of winners in 2019, it represents over 450 percent increase.
This is as result of increased awareness, communication and commitment from Grooming Centers,” Nwabunka observed.
Chief Operating Officer of CREM, Mr. Clifford Onyeike said over 2,000 students submitted application and 139 emerged winners.
An Accounting student of Lagos State University (LASU), Nwokeabia Favour Ada, who bagged N100, 000, said the grant would be helped for students.
“I applied online; the interview was easy because previous winners from LASU tutored me on how to go about it. I was hopefully I will be among the winners. I will use the grant to develop business ideas. I appreciate Grooming Center for the financial support, “ she noted.
Another winner, Adewusi Oluyemi, a PhD student of University of Ibadan said the technical committee looked at his project, titled” “Digital Technology Adoption by Small Businesses and found it worthy.”
He added: “I applied for the Grooming Center grant to test my project and being among winners validated my project. I will use the money for research, data collection and paying my research assistant. The grant will help students achieve their dreams.”