It’s that time of the year again. When we begin to look back at the previous 12 months and prepare for the start of another journey around the sun. To wrap up 2015, this post will cover our activities for the months of November and December while doing a photo recap of the year gone by. We will also highlight some of our major milestones, including presenting a summary listing of our media mentions.
Here we go!
November 2015 with EMCI
Relocated schoolchildren’s acclimation to their new communities
Currently, EMCI has facilitated the relocation of 31 internally displaced and/or orphaned children from Borno and Adamawa States to seven different schools in Jos, Abuja and Abeokuta.
There was a degree of apprehensiveness among a few of them when they first came, but these brave young ones soldiered on.
Some were able to come “home” in Jos for a midterm break towards the end of the month. There was much to celebrate as they are becoming more and more of a family.
Growing number of children at the lesson centers in Adamawa & Borno states
The EMCI “lesson centers” have accommodated an increasing intake of children who have been out of school in the affected regions.
Currently, the Adamawa location has around eight hundred children whereas the one in Borno state has over two thousand. In each of this centers, we had initially planned to accommodate no more than a couple hundred.
Please pray for desks and adequate classroom materials for the lesson centers in addition a continuation of funding for the teachers’ stipends. Contact information for those interested in contributing is provided at the end of this newsletter.
Continued financial contributions from near and afar
We want to recognize and appreciate the cash donations received from UK philanthropists. By God’s grace, some of our founders will be visiting them in early January.
Acceptance into a higher institution of one relocated schoolchild
One of our relocated daughters to Jos was formally accepted into a leadership institute to pursue a course leading to national diploma in community health!
EMCI USA Schoolgirls
There was much activity on the other side of the pond involving our twelve schoolgirls in the States. Most of them celebrated their first American Thanksgiving with host sponsors there, while the familiar few showed them the ropes around how to tackle turkey roast.
The girls continue to improve in their schoolwork, and are making new friends and connections as they progress through life in their new found home.
December 2015 with EMCI
Relocated schoolchildren were able to go home for the holidays
After completing their first semester “at-board”, the kids were sent home to be with their families for Christmas.
Medical treatment was provided to one who had post-traumatic stress-related symptoms.
Smiles from the Jos students prior to Christmas Break
Newspaper and media metions
During the month, a couple media outlets published articles with EMCI being referenced. Check them out:
Morgan Winsor’s article highlights the devastation by Boko Haram on the education sector. Read it here.
Following her trip to the Northeast with our founders from a few months back, Paul from Christian Science Monitor published her article. Read it here.
In response to a report by UNICEF saying that Boko Haram violence has forced 1 million children out of school, Teo Kermeliotis, a deputy online editor for Al Jazeera Media network interviewed our founder and published this article: read it here.
Oversight trip to EMCI lesson centers in the Northeast
In line with regular school scheduling, the lesson centers closed for Christmas and New Years, marking the end of the semester.
Our founders, Paul and Rebecca Gadzama were on hand to oversee the closing ceremonies as well as to pay the teachers’ stipends and provide gift items to victims of the insurgency there.
At Adamawa, there was prize giving for the end of the term. The top three children in each class were awarded prizes. That’s kindergarten one through three, primary one through form six (grades one to six), and JSS1 through SS3 (Seventh to twelfth grades). The top student received an additional gift of a Christmas card.
At Borno State, there was a football (soccer) match held between children of the host community vs. the children of the surrounding environs. The real winner was EMCI.
Awards were presented there as well, and a full-fledged end of year party was celebrated. Admonishments were dolled out to deserving individuals and stipends were paid including additional Christmas bonuses.
The figure at the close of school was 788 in Adamawa, an increase from 400 just a few months prior. People had been urged to return home on the premise that the insurgency had been cleared. However, they were forced to come back to IDP/refugee status because there was no home to go to…
Our Founders Addressing the Lesson Center in AdamawaEMCI founders presenting Christmas gifts to children at the Adawama lesson center at the end of year ‘ceremony’EMCI founders presenting Christmas gifts to children at the Adawama lesson center at the end of year ‘ceremony’ (2)EMCI lesson teachers receiving their salaries at the end of the termFood items being prepared for the children and staff at EMCI lesson center, AdamawaFood time!Christmas Party at EMCI lesson centerEMCI founders and staff, Adamawa Lesson CenterPaul Gadzama adressing staff, members, students, and well wishers prior to kickoff of the matchPrayers being said at the EMCI lesson center, BornoA photo with the vigilante security personnel at the Borno lesson centerClosing remarks
EMCI USA and the overseas schoolgirls
Perhaps the biggest milestone achieved was the formal acceptance into colleges (degree courses) by three of the trans-Atlantic schoolgirls. These girls have barely spent a year overseas; one of whom is an escaped Chibok Schoolgirl, the other was only recently admitted into high school there in September. Pray that we get scholarships to sponsor them. Please see our contact at the end of this newsletter if you are interested in helping.
As the year rounded up, the girls placed in host families for Christmas, while a couple of them remained at their schools.
Finally, our resident human rights attorney and co-founder Emmanuel was recognized as a hero of the year by the Darfur Women’s Action Group for his tireless advocacy to the plight of the still missing Chibok girls and against the insurgency in Norheastern Nigeria. Read more about this award here.
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
Here is a photo recap of EMCI from inception to date:
Predeparture 2014 – some of the escaped Chibok schoolgirls at their home in Jos prior to leaving for schooling in the US in Fall of 2014
Where it all began. Taking a chance to further education abroad by three escaped Chibok schoolgirls. Here they are proceeding to the departure Hall at Abuja Airport in September, 2014
Our founders, a couple months earlier at the EMCI Ground-Zero School (Fall 2014)
Touchdown, USA! Our EMCI member taking a selfie with the girls and a school official.
This was the flyer used by to commemorate the one year date of the abduction of the Chibok girls, April 14th 2014
One of the Escaped Chibok girls met up with our EMCI member in Spain in February 2015 while there to speak to the Spanish media to bring clarity to the situation involving the GGSS Chibok Abduction and to raise awareness on the tragey
We received donations of various office equipment and more from the EU election observation Mission to Nigeria in the Spring of 2015. Here, we are unpacking some of them.
EMCI staff going through items received from the EU mission to Nigeria donations in May 2015 (1)
EMCI staff going through items received from the EU mission to Nigeria
One of our contributors with an escaped schoolgirl smile with the items being donated
Handing the list of items to the class captain of the Chibok girls in Jos.
Chibok girls smile after receiving their items at the school in Jos
We made several journeys to Adamawa and Borno states over the course of the year. Here, one of EMCI’s founders showing some of the items to be distributed at a camp during the Summer of 2015
EMCI Youth Football Team in the IDP Camp in Adamawa
Emmanuel Ogebe, one of our founders at an event in Washington D.C.
Donating items to unaccompanied minors with assistance from NEMA
Relief item distribution
EMCI and Family Worship Center donating relief materials during their first visit to the lesson center in Adamawa
staff room for the teachers at the refugee schools
EMCI Donating Items to Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru Jos in the early Summer of 2015
EMCI Donating Items to Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru Jos (2)
EMCI founders with the coordinators of the Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru, Jos
Before…. June 2015 EMCI refugee school in Yola, Nigeria
Miracle new school was constructed for EMC in less than 5 days thanks to Family Worship Center Abuja
After… new school structure built in July 2015
Summer commences for these 10 brave souls
Reunion of 10 of the escaped Chibok Schoolgirls during Summer 2015
Dad and his new daughters
Summer reunion with Daddy Gadzama
Summer reunion with Mummy Gadzama
The EMCI family at the COB Annual Conference in Florida, Summer 2015
All Aboard Victory!!!
Mummy Gadzama speaking at the annual COB conference
Rep Wilson, rallying for the BBOG cause in the late Summer
A pose with the Congresswoman at the Rally in D.C. (President Buhari is somewhere in ‘that building’ in the background)
Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson with the EMCI family in D.C.
Another Shot of the Congresswoman with our hopeful Chibok schoolgirl, still in Nigeria a few weeks after the US rally
CSM Journalist interviewing EMC IDP school teachers during another trip to Northeastern Nigeria towards the end of Summer 2015
Some of the children who came out from the neighborhood to welcome despite the holiday
Sad images from a trip to Borno in late August, 2015. Ruins of a family home
Frontage of the Gadzama House as it stands
The Gadzamas family bed use to be at the spot being pointed at
Ruins of a military tanks used by the Boko Haram and bombed by the Nigerian Air Forcejust by the highway beside the ruined EYN Headquarters, Kwarhi
Presentation of some EU donated medical kits and drugs at Lassa General Hospital
An escaped schoolgirl attends an event with Theirworld and UNICEF to get all children #UpforSchool on September 28, 2015 in New York City.
Salome’s interview with Gordon Brown
These three girls from Borno State got admission sponsorship to a school in Jos in early Fall of 2015
Handing over 2 relocated girls girls to a Shelter and School in Abuja in early Fall
EMCI USA: Receving toiletries and shirts from Project Aloe in Fall of 2015
EMCI USA: Receving toiletries and shirts from Project Aloe (2)
Some of the children present at the education support event by the Dr. Ameh Idoko Foundation on October 5th
Bag
IDP camp in Adamawa in November 2015
The EMCI lesson center during another visitation to the camp in Adamawa
EMCI lesson center Classroom, Nov 2015
Some of the relocated children on their way to one of the schools in Jos, November 2015
Midterm break …
Visitation with EMCI founder to the shelter and school in Abuja where a couple of our girls are
EMCI US Schoolgirls attending a college fair in November 2015
EMCI US Schoolgirls attending a college fair 2
EMCI USA: Former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo with 2 of the Chibok girls and Emma
EMCI attends a NEMA/SEMA event in Maiduguri at the end of November
Back at home in Nigeria, sooo many kids at the camp and lesson center in the Northeast
lunch is served
Christmas Day fun at our home in Jos with some relocated schoolgirls
You may contact us on our Facebook page or through our email (pmgadzama@yahoo.com or info@emcinitiative.org) if you are interested in supporting any one of our efforts.
