A Non profit making organization Connak Foundation has announced the postponement of her 10th anniversary celebration and annual Yuletide events selected for the year 2022.
The chief executive officer of the foundation Mrs. Carole Emeka Sunday, made the development public in a statement made available to Citytimes on Friday.
She stated that the decision was taken at an executive session of the
board of Connak Foundation,
held on Sunday October 30 2022.
Sunday revealed that the events were put off after an extensive deliberations by the board members, while acknowledging the inconveniences the change would cause beneficiaries, partners and sponsors, stakeholders and well-meaning individuals who have confirmed their travel plans/schedules to attend the annual yuletide activities of the Foundation.
The statement read in part, "We understand that this change may cause great inconvenience for our beneficiaries’,
partners and sponsors,
We
regret the inconvenience that may arise from rescheduling your plans within short notice.
We take this decision out of an abundance of caution, in cognizance of the political
climate and peculiarity of the season at this time in our dear country Nigeria.
"As a non-partisan non-governmental organization, our events are open to all persons irrespective
of age, creed, or affiliation and we do not want any of our events to be misrepresented or
misconstrued as being in alliance with any group or used as a platform to promote or
propagate other interests.
"At the beginning of the year, the foundation rolled out several empowerment initiatives
targeted at the youths, to create life-changing opportunities and cause sustainable
development in our communities.
"These initiatives were kickstarted at the foundation’s
annual retreat program held at Abuja in February 2022. Following the retreat, we
commenced the 9-month ICT Training program for 200 beneficiaries, at our facilities in
Umuahia and Aba, respectively. The ICT trainees were scheduled to graduate during the
10th Founder’s Day Celebration in December 2022.
"In April 2022, Connak Foundation was officially launched in Lagos with the commissioning
of a flagship borehole project at Imaba - Igando community in Alimosho LGA of Lagos
state, followed by a media briefing event with the Press and a Fundraiser dinner to unveil
our proposed anniversary project – a Community Hospital in Afugiri, Abia State. With the support of grant received from Jackson Family Foundation in the United States,
and donations raised at the Lagos unveiling event, the construction of the community
hospital is in full swing with steady progress. The site commissioning would have been
done as part of our end-of-year activities.
"Next up was Connak Foundation Entrepreneurship Initiative (CoFEI) program, with an
estimated 10,000 participants enrolled into the 12weeks online training and 350 trainees
at the bootcamps across 3 locations – Umuahia, Lagos and Abuja. Grants presentation to
successful businesses, earlier scheduled to take place during the Founder’s Day event, has
been rescheduled and a new date would be communicated in due time.
"Also noteworthy is the roll-out of the Stay-in-School Program in FCT, where we awarded
full scholarship to 100 students in public Junior Secondary schools. These, in addition to
the 180 scholarship students in Abia state, both at secondary and tertiary education levels,
brings to total of 280 beneficiaries enrolled in school through our educational
development initiatives.
"Our annual free medical outreach could not hold this year because our partners from the
USA, FaithCare Inc, were unable to travel due to consulate advisory and restrictions
bordering on security concerns.
"Against all odds, the achievements recorded this year have greatly surpassed our
expectations. Despite our best intentions and desire to fully implement our program
schedule for the year, we solicit your kind understanding as we suspend all activities, all
things considered.
"Rather than rest on our oars, we intend to use the opportunity to re-
strategize on ways to eradicate youthful redundancy and implement more impactful
initiatives that promote responsible citizenry.
"We will communicate new dates for all postponed program activities in due course.
Finally, as we navigate this political season in our dear country Nigeria, we remind everyone, particularly the youths, to shun all clandestine activities, refrain from being used
to create chaos, be mindful of safety and security, and exercise caution even as we go
about exercising our civic duties.
Thank you".
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