The Project - #AllHeartsAlways

About two years ago, I started an online awareness campaign about the deplorable living conditions people existed in in Nigeria and the for people to reach out to all the very needy around them rather than investing in elephant projects. The aim was to encourage people to be selfless and help as many as they possibly can within their means. I tagged it #AllHearts initially and later changed it to #AllHeartsAlways. Since then, it has been an amazing journey into trying our best to bring smiles to the faces of people by touching their lives positively.

Last year a young man(Mayowa) undergoing his National Youth Service in one of the Western states brought the plight of some students to my attention. A number of them were to be sent out of school for failure to pay their school fees. I asked how much the fees were per student for a term and his answer shocked me so much I had to ask him to clarify I heard right a couple of times. Each student was to pay N1,000 (3.84 pounds/ $5.88) per term and N3,000 (11.53 pounds/$17.64) per session. A session consists of three terms. I was mortified and heartbroken that for such meager sums, the children would get sent out of school. I cannot overemphasize the importance of education, thus to deprive these children the opportunity of enjoying such was a no-no for me.

I went on a twitter campaign to bring this awareness to light and luckily for me, I had a follower who had gone through similar experience of struggling to see himself through school, and he shared his story that day. The response was incredible. It blew my mind away, the fact that so many people were willing to help.

Mayowa and I had 30 students who had no possible chance of raising their fees, and  we got them sponsors via twitter (Social media is just wonderful, if rightly channeled). All the sponsors were not only willing to pay for the session, they went a step further by choosing to put each student through their secondary education. I was elated. 

We've got two of the students graduating this weekend. Their sponsor has been absolutely amazing, paying for their fees, uniforms and books (Bless her kind dear heart). Mayowa met with one of  the student's mum and her reaction of sheer gratitude was amazing. She thanked him profusely in tears, explaining how he his gesture had given the child a leg up in life by helping her to complete her secondary education.

It doesn't end here. While all the initial 30 students were sorted out, we are taking on more. So if you feel inclined to help sponsor a child (or children) through school, kindly send an email to allheartsalways@gmail.com. If you also want to support these two new graduates, please also send me an email.

We can bring about positive change to the world, one step at a time by being #AllHeartsAlways. Thanks a million and God bless all those who have supported the #AllHeartsAlways cause. I cannot express my gratitude in words.

Thanks and keep being #AllHeartsAlways