Shoprite Donates Food, Beverages, Toiletries to Feed and Read Program

On March 23, Shoprite, an international superstores chain, donated two million naira worth of goods to the AUN Feed and Read Program.

 The items include food, beverages, and toiletries.

About the same time last year, the more than 300 beneficiaries in the program received uniforms donated by Vicki Marsha Uniforms, a California-based school uniforms company.

The delegates from the retail supermarkets who visited the University included Ms. Hauwa Idris, Front Admin Manager, Kano Branch; Kunle Abiola, Country Brand Manager, and Samuel Asegiemhe, Branch Manager of Apo, Abuja. 

“I am impressed by the level of education, the level of learning, that is being exhibited here, in just the few minutes that we have seen,” said Mr. Abiola, after the delegation observed the children in a learning session.  He praised the team for the effort they put into teaching the less privileged children.  “We do understand the level of sacrifice involved.”

On ground to hand over the donation was a team from Shoprite led by Mr. Abiola, who said it is one of several to come.  “This first donation has come as a result of persistence, as a result of sheer passion, from a team of AUN supporters and everybody who has communicated with us since the past year.  We are hopeful that it would happen again, but sooner rather than later.”

As the company does not, as of yet, have a branch in Yola, the largesse seemed unusual.  But Shoprite  representatives explained that, “…because we will typically make donations to organizations or communities that surround our stores where we are physically located, we have finally come to see how much impact we can actually make around the country and not just in the communities around our stores.”

Assistant VP of Public Affairs, Mr. Abba Tahir, welcomed the guests on behalf of Interim President LeGene Quesenberry.  He thanked them for supporting the need that the University has identified in in educating the underprivileged in the region.  “We appreciate you profoundly…We hope after this visit, Yola will have a Shoprite outlet, especially close to the University, so that our over 100 expatriate families in the local communities would be able to really shop right continuously.”

Executive Director of AUN Schools, Mrs. Nkem Uzowulu, who coordinates the program, received the gifts.  She gave background information detailing the history of the program.  She said that the new Interim President, Professor Quesenberry, has the same passion exhibited by the former President, Dr. Margee Ensign, who initiated the literacy program.  The program graduated the first batch of beneficiaries during the AUN Founder’s Day of last year.

Although the program started with street boys commonly called Almajiri, it has grown to include girls who do not have ready access to formal education.  Some are orphans and some, too, are children of IDPs.  During the first year, it was funded from a small grant by the Irish Government and the University’s own resources.  Current sponsors include most recently the Danish Embassy as well as the German agency for international development, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit,  (GIZ) who are together funding the 2017 intake of 150 Almajiri and 150 vulnerable and out of school girls.


The beneficiaries learn how to read and eat one meal every day.  The curriculum includes two days of literacy, two days of numeracy and one day of teaching either hygiene, civic, or moral education.

The program has received a number of donations since inception, the most recent being books and educational supplies from the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), the Washington, DC, branch.

On August 19, the Rotary Club of AUN, District 9125, Yola, marked the World Humanitarian Day with the Feed and Read girls.  It visited their center with gifts including writing materials.


By Omorogbe Omorogiuwa