The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) on Monday celebrated its 2020 reading session with children from the Karu Orphanage, Abuja, to promote reading culture.
The association, otherwise known as Pyrates Confraternity, donated educational materials, food items and others to the children in commemoration of the 2020 World Literacy Day, which was marked on Sept. 8.
Items donated to the children were text books, note books, pens, pencils, crayons, erasers, sharpeners, toiletries such as detergent, diapers, children playing items and clothes.
The food items were cartons of noodles, cartons of biscuit, cartons of juice drinks, beverages and others.
Speaking at the event, Mr Victor Ofili, NAS Capoon Sahara Deck, Abuja Central, added that the idea of reading with the orphans by the association was aimed at making them take their book seriously while in the orphanage.
He said that the idea was also geared toward making sure the children focused on their future endeavours and to become what they intended to be.
“They must take their books seriously to achieve those targets they have set for themselves in life; you can see that one of them said he wants to be the president of Nigeria, while others said different things.
“Without being grounded in education, they cannot achieve their dreams and that is why we are here, one of our cardinal principles is for humanistic development, it is part of what we call operation 347, it is part of our guiding principles.
“We are here to show them love and to let them know that, they also have a family in us, incidentally, we have adopted this orphanage since 2013, when Abuja Sahara Deck was set up.
“We have been doing our part to the orphans since we adopted them,’’ he said.
Similarly, Mr Michael Ihunde, the second Vice President of the association, said that NAS was only trying to encourage the children for them to take their literary studies serious.
Ihunde said that the association had spent close to half a million naira to procure the items donated to the children as part of its social responsibility.
According to him, the association is committed to supporting the children yearly and to always put smiles in their faces.
Mr Frank Okafor, a former National Vice President of the association, encouraged the children to discover and develop their talents for them to be reckoned with in the society.
According to Okafor, God blesses one according to what ruminate in the mind, and that there are a lot of things embedded in reading if the children can commit to that.
“You gain more knowledge when you read. You discover a lot of things when you read. Maximise whatever talents God has given you.
“For you to be educationally smart, you must do the right thing at the right time, focus on your desire, your setback as an orphanage will surely result to a better thing at the end,’’ Okafor stressed.
Responding on behalf of the management, the orphanage accountant, Mr Felix Inaede, appreciated the donation, particularly during the period of global pandemic, as things were hard for most people.
Inaede said that the gifts from NAS had been a yearly thing, adding that the association had been so passionate about the development of the children.
“NAS has been a mentor to these children to ensure that they are better citizens in the country. These children will remember when they grow that there was a home they lived where donation was always given to them.
Inaede also appreciated the Federal Government and NGO, noting that they had been all proactive in responding to the needs of the children, particularly during the global pandemic. (NAN)
