On the 6th and 13th of January 2024, I organized eating competition at ImmaEtte Food House owned by Community Youth Education Empowerment, Inc. (CYEE). The purpose, for me was just entertainment and fun. But to my surprise it became a scholarship hunt for young people. 18 participants registered and showed up on the first day of the competition. They were all young people. We served them with the local food, fofo and okra soup. Each person was to eat 10 wraps of fofo, lick the remaining soup, eat two pieces of meat and drink water to qualify for the final round. Participants ranged from the age of 13 to 30. Among them were 3 boys and 4 young women.
We only had a winner at the 6th round and the last rounds. Three young men emerged winners and were awarded N35,000.00, N25,000.00 and N15,000.00 respectively.
I interviewed the participants and was sad to hear the reasons for their participation. A 13 year old contestant hoped to win N15,000.00 to defray his school fees. One of the girls reported that no one in her family had ever gone to school. She hoped to win so as to buy JAMB form to read nursing. Everyone who participated had a reason and story behind him/her. That seems to be the story of my country where children would do anything to go to school.
CYEE will provide scholarship to Excel, 13, who is in Junior Secondary School, and Owoidogho, 23 who hopes to read nursing. We have paid for her JAMB form and also paid for her to begin extramural classes in preparation for JAMB.
Kindly assist us as we embark on giving a life changing opportunities to these young people. With a donation of $100.00 a year we can do so much more for the suffering young people of my community. With your monthly donation of $50.00 our scholarship fund would be established and the young people will be assured of their future. Thank you for partnering with CYEE.
Below are the finalists we interviewed during the event:
Owoidogho E. Okon
My name is Owoidogho E. Okon. I was born on April 16, 2000. I am from Aka Offot, Uyo in Uyo L. G. A. of Akwa Ibom State. I am the last child in a family of 10, 5 boys and 5 girls.
I completed my secondary school education in 2020. My desire was to proceed to college to read nursing, but due to lack of funds, I started assisting as a paid worker in people’s farms. When I did not make enough money to purse my dreams, I traveled to Lagos with the hope of making a better living to improve myself. I worked as a nanny for two years but I did make enough money and so I went back to my mother and assisted her to sell food.
No one in my family has gone to college and so my dream is to be the first person in family to do so. When I took part in the eating competition, my expectation was to win some money to buy JAMB form to prepare for admission to go to college. I was considered as a prospective candidate for sponsorship. This is a dream come true for me. I appeal to kind hearted people to kindly come to my aid and assist me through Community Youth Education and Empowerment, Inc. program to sponsor my education, I will forever be grateful for your kindness. Thank you.
Excel M. Charles
My name is Excel M. Charles, 14, a native of Ikot Udo from Nsit Ubiom Local Government Area. I was born on January 16, 2010, the only child of my parents. My dad died when I was a baby, as such I was not fortunate to see and know him. I do not know my mother, hence I live with my grandmother.
I'm a third year student in Crown of Wisdom high school. My biggest challenge in my studies is lack of funds. I entered into eating competition with the hope that I could win at least the third position in order to pay my fees. Unfortunately, I did not make it to the finals. I was surprised to be interviewed by the representative of Community Youth Education and Empowerment, Inc., who promised to sponsor my education. I want to make my grandmother proud by being a good student. I want to be able to provide for her as she has been taking care of me. Please come to my assistance through CYEE as they seek to change the lives of young people like myself. May God bless you for your kindness.
