My first time seeing them was a little over a year ago. Due to the bad road, it took our vehicle an extra 20 to 25 minutes to get to the school.
But the natural scenery along the road and in the area was calming. A huge manmade waterfalls on the side. I think it is a dam of some sort. The greenery was lush and fresh, and the trees and plants with big leafy branches adorn both sides of the road. The sky was so blue and bright, and the air was crispy clean, refreshing, and unpolluted. It was so serene and quiet except for the splashing sounds of the moving water against the dam wall. The road was deserted except for very infrequent bike riders that passed by.
Then we got to the school at about 9 am. The school premises enclosed about 3 to 4 classrooms built in a semi-circular form. It was quiet. No children were seen around. A middle-aged woman was sitting in front of one of the buildings. She smiled at us as we approached. We introduced ourselves, and she also told us her name and position. She is the school headmistress. We explained our mission to her, then asked about the students. She told us they were in their respective classes. She asked one of the teachers to get the kids to the assembly ground, which was about 25 feet from where we were standing.
Few minutes later, I saw them coming out from the other 3 buildings. Little children with ages ranging from 4 years to 12 years. Girls and boys, most of them without shoes. They were walking bare feet on the rocky and dusty ground. Girls with unkempt hair and boys with some form of skin rash on their scalps. Children, some with torn school uniforms and others with house clothes.
But what really got and kept my attention was the expressions on their faces. It was first curiosity. I was imagining what was going through their mind. Maybe they never had anyone visit them in school before.
Then their Head Mistress introduced us. She told them we were there with gifts for them. That was when their faces broke into smiles. Their curiosity turned to joy. They did not even know what the gifts were. I guess it does not matter what, but for whom?
Before we left that day, they sang, danced, and took pictures with us. We gave them the bundles of notebooks we brought for them. They were so happy. Ever since then, I had their faces imprinted in my memory. I said to myself, we are coming back. We need to be back. That was in July of 2021.
This year June 2022, we fulfilled our promise to them. This time around, we came with a pair of shoes and bag for each pupil. No one was left out.
Every child deserves to be educated. At Asake Inc/ Asake EF, we’re still in the business of spreading love and sharing hope
