Global Education Fund helps schools in Nigeria
Just imagine attending or working at a school where books are as valuable (and as rare) as gold and a clean, reliable water supply is worth even more than a fully stocked library. According to former MacEwan University faculty member David Hannis, this is the situation for many schools in Nigeria.
Helping schools in Nigeria
After David’s retirement from the university in 2010, he and his partner Nancy Hanneman moved to Nigeria. Both now teach at Kwara State University, while actively working to improve facilities for primary and secondary schools in Malete, Nigeria.
(Above, a classroom at the Malete primary school)
On January 10, president David Atkinson, on behalf of the MacEwan Global Education Fund committee, presented
David and Nancy with a $6,000 donation to support their work with the primary and secondary schools in Malete. The event is pictured, right.
Hannis says the donation will primarily be used to support renovations to the schools’ water supply, but adds that this is just one of a long list of goals.
“The work we’re trying to do includes stimulating the economy through developing local industries in weaving, soap-making, beekeeping and catfish farming; supporting adult literacy; establishing an adult and youth skills acquisition centre with the goal of training people in computer literacy and other skills; and addressing transportation needs in the area so medical professionals can access health centres.”
Supporting education world-wide
The Global Education Fund was established to support ed
ucation-related projects in disadvantaged areas around the world. The fund collects annual levies through the university’s faculty and student associations (for full-time students, that’s the $2 fee you pay with your tuition each year), and accepts individual donations.
“This is the Global Education Fund committee’s first time supporting a project in Nigeria,” says Kimberley Howard, committee chair and project coordinator in the School of Business. “We’re always looking for new countries to get involved in.”
