A grassroots education initiative, Project Sandals4Schools, founded by some National Youth Service Corps members, Donald Ibewuike, Kelechi Ndieze, and Isaac, has completed its second major outreach, distributing properly fitted sandals to 426 pupils and exercise books to about 700 students across nine public primary schools in five Bayelsa communities.
The initiative, which began as a community development project during Ibewuike and Ndieze’s 2022 service year in Bayelsa State, aims to improve the transition rate from primary to junior secondary by providing essential resources to indigent students.
According to their independent study, three in five children in the state capital attend primary school without footwear, highlighting the need for such initiatives.
The latest outreach, conducted in partnership with the Enibo Albert Foundation, marked a significant expansion from the June 2024 pilot phase, which reached 250 pupils in Yenagoa with sandals and exercise books.
This phase also introduced library support, with about 300 books distributed to three school libraries.
“The difference between staying home and raising a hand in class can be as simple as footwear that fits and books to read and learn. With Project Sandals4Schools, we’re removing tiny barriers that make a huge difference so children can arrive, belong, and thrive,” Ibewuike, stated.
The partnership with Enibo Albert Foundation was crucial in extending the project’s reach beyond the state capital into more remote communities.
The collaboration included scheduling school visits, prioritising beneficiaries identified by head teachers, and establishing verification protocols to maintain accountability.
Head teachers in participating schools confirmed receipt of items and recorded beneficiary tallies, creating a transparent distribution process.
The introduction of library support represents a strategic evolution in the project’s approach, focusing on resources that can serve multiple cohorts of students over time.
Planning has already begun for a third outreach that would extend the project’s reach to additional communities and expand library support into structured reading corners. However, organisers acknowledged that scaling requires sustained funding, reliance on donor support and in-kind donations.
