Oscar Onyema, Nigerian Stock Exchange CEO, unveils foundation for indigent students

Oscar N. Onyema, chief executive officer of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, will on Friday, August 17, 2018, launch the Oscar N. Onyema (ONO) Foundation to provide sustainable high impact programmes that would positively affect the society.

The ONO Foundation is a not-for-profit and non-political organization set up to transform the lives of less privileged children and youth in Nigeria.

The primary goal of the foundation is to support the continued effort to expand access to formal education in Nigeria, especially amongst indigent children and youth, raise the bar in academic achievements, and encourage positivity and hope to the less privileged families and communities.

“ONO Foundation will focus primarily on providing safety nets for the less privileged children and youths, by ameliorating the issues of lack of guidance and providing educational materials and funding towards achieving greater social impact in the education sector in Nigeria.

“Today’s launch is the culmination of a passionate idea long held by me to contribute my time and funds towards enhancing access to qualitative education for orphans and vulnerable children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country.

“I encourage every patriotic Nigerian to continue to give their support towards uplifting indigent youths especially those who seek knowledge. Our efforts to play an active role in the 4th industrial revolution must have the youth at its center due to their population, energy and potential impact” Onyema said at the pre-launch of the foundation.

Tunde Folawiyo, chairman, board of trustees, ONO Foundation, echoed the sentiments of Onyema, as he said “the foundation is borne out of an understanding that the society of our dreams cannot materialize if its future (the children and the youth) are not properly trained, inspired and equipped to be the catalyst and springboard of change and growth.

“This foundation is unique because its programs are focused not just on education but also on treating the emotional and mental challenges and ails faced by our children and youth, their families and our less privileged communities. Everyone knows it takes a village to raise a child. Today you and I are the village, let’s raise these children and youths together.”

The foundation which plans to achieve its goals by investing in four priority areas: mentorship program, scholarship management program, workforce program and home visitation, is expected to announce the first tranche of beneficiaries of the Foundation’s scholarship before the end of the year.

In addition, it would identify and partner with any private, public or civil society organization or institution or indeed individual with similar objectives for the promotion of philanthropic activities.

It would also organize lectures, seminars, workshops for public enlightenment in such areas of interest as the Foundation’s management may from time to time determine.

The foundation would pair less privileged children and youth with respectable and credible members of society and organisations in order to groom them into becoming responsible citizens and effective nation builders. It will also identify areas of critical need in the education and development of underprivileged persons with a view to providing them such assistance appropriately, touch the lives of the needy among us and provide charity for the less privileged in society.