In its quest to obviate the challenges faced by students of Bonny National Grammar School (BNGS), UBE section, and provide better learning conditions for them, KEAP Foundation Initiative and SCD JV (Saipem, Chiyoda and Daewoo Joint Venture) have donated some educational materials to the school.

The donations by KEAP Foundation Initiative in conjunction with SCD JV, which were made on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 include 103 double-seater desks and marker boards.

The donors also repaired and retiled dilapidated classroom floors at the school on top of which the students had been sitting to learn.

The donated items were presented to the Principal of the school, Gloria Amachree, by the Coordinator of KEAP Foundation Initiative, Ibifuro Brown, who was accompanied by SCD JV’s Manager, Community Relations, Duncan Afahokar, and Community Liaison Officer, Abinye Brown-West.

Speaking during the presentation, the Coordinator of KEAP Foundation Initiative, Ibifuro Brown described the donation as “a stepping stone towards repositioning the school”, observing that the senior secondary section of the school is even in a worse condition and needs urgent intervention.

He called on well-meaning indigenes of Bonny Kingdom, especially, the alumni of the BNGS, to rise to the occasion to salvage the image of the school.

Brown appealed to the school authority to ensure the judicious management and sustained maintenance of the facilities with a view to encouraging the Foundation and other stakeholders to do more.

On his part, the Manager, Community Relations of SCD JV, Duncan Afahokar stated that his company was ready and willing to sustain its partnership and collaboration with KEAP Foundation Initiative to deliver more interventions around Bonny Kingdom.

Expressing her excitement over the donations, the Principal of Bonny National Grammar School (UBE), Gloria Amachree thanked KEAP Foundation Initiative and SCD JV for the kind gesture.

She averred that the donated desks have brought relief to the beleaguered students who before now were sitting on bare floors to learn, promising to use the materials judiciously.

Reacting to the donation, another official of KEAP Foundation Initiative, Adolf Pepple pointed out that “one remarkable perspective to this gesture is that in a world grappling with waste, the KEAP Foundation Initiative and SCD JV stand out as a beacon of innovation, transforming discarded woods into beautifully crafted desks”.

He further asserted that “this initiative showcases their potential for waste-to-wealth creativity”, adding that “by repurposing materials that would otherwise contribute to environmental degradation, KEAP Foundation Initiative and SCD JV have set a powerful example for others to emulate”.

“Emulating this model can foster a culture of responsibility and creativity, encouraging communities, organizations and individuals to rethink waste management. As more entities adopt similar practices, we can collectively move towards a better future while providing essential resources for those in need.”

Also speaking, another official of KEAP Foundation Initiative, Adaobu Bluejack lamented that Bonny National Grammar School, which he said was “once a beacon of learning and academic excellence, producing many of Bonny’s prominent figures, now faces abandonment,” stressing the need for those “who once benefited from this institution to step forward to restore its dignity and ensure a brighter tomorrow for its current students going forward”