By Asuquo Cletus
The Rise & Thrive Humanitarian Foundation has awarded full-year scholarships to 22 secondary school students in Calabar, Cross River State.
This is part of its Thrive Academia Initiative aimed at rewarding excellence and enriching communities through education.
The event, held on Friday at Estate Secondary School, Ikot Ansa, marked the maiden edition of the initiative. The scholarship scheme, according to the foundation, seeks to ensure that brilliant but financially challenged students remain in school and continue to excel academically despite economic hardship.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Cleo Nelson Adoga, described education as “the first tool for freedom”.
READ ALSO: C’River Forestry Commission, PROWPMAN Sign MOU on Sustainable Green Project
Adoga noted that the initiative aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) Quality Education for All.
“Education isn’t just literacy; it is lighting a path to dignity,” Adoga said. “The Thrive Academia Initiative was borne to reward excellence, inspire hope, and ensure that brilliant indigent students stay in school and excel in their academics regardless of hard times. No child deserves to be kicked out of school due to lack of fees or shamed because of poverty.”
She further disclosed that 30 students from JSS2 to SS3 sat for a scholarship examination on October 10, 2025, and 22 students emerged successful based on their academic records and performance in the test. The foundation also provided new whiteboards for JSS2 and SS2 classrooms to enhance teaching and learning.
Adoga, an alumnus of the host school, expressed joy at returning to his alma mater to “empower and raise giants for the next generation,” adding that the foundation plans to expand the initiative across all 18 local government areas in Cross River State and beyond.
Representing the school principal, the Vice Principal (Administration), Mrs. Martha James, commended the foundation for its humanitarian gesture, noting that government schools face several infrastructural and financial limitations.
“We are grateful for what the Rise & Thrive Humanitarian Foundation has done for our students and school. You have kept your promises, from organizing a transparent selection test to awarding scholarships and providing whiteboards. We appreciate your generosity and appeal that you extend your support to other facilities in need,” she said.
Mrs. James also presented a list of the school’s urgent needs, including toilet facilities, teachers’ and students’ blocks, borehole water supply, ceiling repairs, and perimeter fencing for improved security.
One of the beneficiaries, Emmanuella Mesoma, who emerged as the best student in the aptitude test, expressed her gratitude to the foundation, describing the scholarship as a “dream come true.”
“I am very grateful to the Rise & Thrive Foundation for believing in me and other students. This scholarship will motivate me to study harder and make my family and school proud,” she said with excitement.
The Thrive Academia Initiative is part of the foundation’s broader mission to promote education, inspire hope, and foster sustainable development through youth empowerment and community engagement.
