An NGO, the Blessing Projects, has granted scholarship to 100 girls from Iregwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau.
Mr Lawrence Zongo, the Country Manager of the organisation, disclosed this shortly after presenting admission letters to the beneficiaries on Saturday in Miango.
Zongo spoke at an event organised by the Women Wing of the Iregwe Development Association (IDA) to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD).
He said that the scholarship would enable the beneficiaries to study for their National Certificate on Education (NCE) at the National Teachers Institute (NTI) free of charge.
The country manager said that the beneficiaries were largely orphans whose parents were killed during the recent attacks on the chiefdom.
Zongo, who decried that more than 5,000 young girls couldn’t further their education after secondary school, maintained that the gesture would further enable them to tackle life’s future challenges.
“Education is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law, yet countless Nigerian girls, particularly in conflict affected areas, are systematically denied this right.
“In Iregwe alone, more than 5,000 young women find themselves without access to higher education after secondary school.
“This disparity contradicts the constitution and global treaties on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
“With the support of Blessing Projects, 100 young girls will now pursue their NCE at Miango study centre of NTI,” he said.
Zongo, who said that the organisation had paid the school fees of all the beneficiaries to the tune of N8 million, promised to extend the gesture to other parts of state and across the country.
The country manager, however, called on government at all levels to promote girl-child education, insisting that such a move would make society better.
Zongo also said that his organisation was currently training 13 young girls across the chiefdom on tailoring.
Responding, Mrs Mary Dick-Phar, the National President of the women wing of IDA, thanked Blessing Projects for the gesture.
Dick-Phar, who decried the huge number of widows and orphans in the chiefdom, advised the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously.
“Currently, in Iregwe chiefdom, we have more than 1,750 widows; 452 of them had their husbands killed during the various attacks on our communities
“We also have more than 8,744 orphans with no one to cater for them.
“So, we are grateful to this organisation for the gesture, and I want to call on the beneficiaries not take this opportunity for granted,” she advised.
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