Sunday Olaifa has been on the street of Lafenwa for some time and was always participating in the organization’s activities on the street. He showed willingness in going back to school and was also interested to learn barbing in year 2023. The initiative immediately swung into action and enrolled him into Premier Grammar School, Lafenwa, Abeokuta and at the same time registered him into Oluomo barbing salon also at Lafenwa for the period of a year.
On the day of graduation, Mr. Opeyemi Olajide Olowookere the Executive Director of GSKi Nigeria and America in his opening speech expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those who made the day a reality and emphasized the need to give more attention to the plight of street connected children. He said all the tools Sunday will need for his work had been bought by Global Support for Kids Initiative before today, and everything was displayed for everybody to see.
He advised Sunday to be a good ambassador of GSKi and face his work alongside schooling squarely so as to become a successful person in life because he believed his story will impact other children in street situation positively.
Representative of the Honorable Commissioner for the Ministry of Women Affairs Ogun state, Mr. Fashina Adebayo spoke glowingly about the efforts of GSK Initiative in helping the street connected children become better persons in the society. He explained that although, there were challenges dealing with the street connected children because of their exposure to societal ills, but GSK Initiative still managed to capture their minds early enough to encourage them to either learn a skill or acquire formal education. He also hailed the President/Executive Director of GSK Initiative for his magnanimity, persistence and resilience towards ensuring that the street connected children, and other vulnerable children in the society are well catered for.
In the same vein, the Divisional Police officer of Railway Police station Lafenwa, Abeokuta, Mrs. Victoria Omoz recounted the reasons some street connected children end up in correctional centers. In her speech, she begged all the parents in attendance to please take good care of their children so that the society can be a better place for all of us to live in.
The icing on the cake was when all the elders in attendance were called upon to pray for the celebrant of the day. In fact the boss, Mr. Anifowose Michael said he had thought that the boy will not be able to complete his training since he was living in street while coming to the vocational center and he was able to endure throughout along with the pressure of schooling. He said he was impressed and used the opportunity to thank GSK Initiative for a job well done. Mr. Anifowoshe handed all Sunday’s equipments to him.
GSKi Country Director, Mr. Soleye Akingbade gave the vote of thanks and appreciated all and sundry who attended the occasion despite their tight schedules and he prayed that on their own day of joy they will not be missing.
