Greetings! This is coming a little late, and we apologize for that. We’ve been busy trying to catch up on happenings back in Nigeria. The month of July was quite a productive one with moving pieces from Askira, Borno State, to Tampa, Florida. Here we go…
July 1st – 30th – Cbk girls are off for holiday in their respective homes
The end of the academic school year brought about the first summer in the U.S. for the 10 girls there. We received quite a number of offers to host the girls in various parts of the country, and if we could have, we would have rotated them. However, as is the case, we could only put them up in homes that we felt would provide the adequate social and spiritual nourishment as well as logistical arrangements they needed. To achieving this end, the Church of the Brethren (COB) was instrumental, as they provided the base for qualified families and homes that could host our girls. The link between COB and EYN which is the local church in Chibok and of the girls, dates back to almost eight decades. Both the church and Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Chibok were built by COB missionaries in 1947. We sent them also because they needed to be with Americans who understand their pains and where they are coming from, some of whom were missionaries in Chibok. Now, they can confidently say that they have extended families across the pond. This was culminated at the COB national conference at Tampa.
Summer commences for these 10 brave souls“Dad” and his new daughters
July 2nd – Off to the U.S.
Our founders in Nigeria, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gadzama departed for the US, for a month long summer trip that would see them canvass the majority of the East Coast. One of the major items on the agenda was also to asses the one year experience of the ten Chibok girls currently schooling there.
Off to the US …
July 5th – Meet with former ministers
Chibok girls meet the sagacious former Nigerian Minister for Power, Prof Nebo yesterday. Professor had spoken about social action and justice as cornerstones of our faith. He said when John the Baptist sent to inquire if Jesus was the expected Messiah, Jesus’ reply showed what important evidences of being a Christian are: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. Matt 11:5 Preaching was the last evidence Christ listed. He mentioned actions before words.Dr. Akinwumi Adesina with 2 of the Chibok Girls and EMCI Co-Founder Emmanuel OgebeFormer Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo with 2 of the Chibok girls and Emma
July 11th – Building new classroom blocks at EMCI School, Yola
If you recall from our last blogpost, a few weeks prior, Emmanuel Ogebe, our Nigerian American advocate, dragged his Abuja home church missions director, Aunty Regi, to Yola to visit the school at the IDP camp. We literally jumped on a plane two days after we first discussed the idea of going there. While there, Emmanuel expressed the need of tarpaulin for the school as rains were coming to Aunty Regi. However, she said that from here experience, that wouldn’t work. This week we got the sad news that the rains flooded the camp and schooling was disrupted. Shortly after, Aunty Regi called and said she was sending a team to visit the camp. Is that ok? Emmanuel said “yes”. Today July 11th) we saw pictures of them building a school. Yes. Building a school! They didn’t even know about the flooding. I can’t believe it. Thanks so much Family Worship Chapel!
Before… our visit to the IDP kids’ thatch classroomBefore…. June 2015 EMCI refugee school in Yola, NigeriaClassrooms for refugee kids under constructionWhat the class has transformed to nowAfter… new school structure built in July 2015July 11th – 16th – Church of the Brethren Annual Conference meets EMCI
Being that our founders, the Chibok girls, and the majority of the of IDPs from in Northern Nigeria are members of the local church, Ekklesiyar Yan´uwa a Nigeria: EYN (the Hausa translation of Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), we took on the opportunity to fellowship at the Annual Conference held in Tampa, Florida (www.brethren.org/ac/2015/).
Representatives of COB from all over the world were present, including our very own EYN Jos’ Women’s Fellowship (Zumunta’r Mata), 10 of the relocated escaped Chibok girls, and three of our founders, Mr. and Mrs. Gadzama and Emmanuel Ogebe. Also present was the EYN president, Rev. Dr. Samuel Dali, a close friend of EMCI and also an advocate for justice and equality from and for Northern Nigeria.
The Women’s Fellowship of EYN toured most of the COB Churches in U.S. while they were there. Our 10 Chibok girls on summer break , hosted by COB families toured with their ‘mothers’ from Nigeria.
Mrs. Gadzama spoke to the audience, presenting the dire situation of the many displaced members, pastors, and congregation, receiving a standing applause when she was through.
The Gadzama also shared their 16 month journey with the Chibok girls and the EMCI IDP schools. They also called for the recovery of all abducted people, especially, the 219 Chibok girls and for God to cause a change of heart among the Boko Haram insurgents.
Towards the end of the conference, the entire EMCI staff, as well as beneficiaries (the 10 Chibok girls present) were called on stage and a congregational prayer led by the senior pastors was held for them by over 2,000 participants. It was truly a beautiful moment.
Videos from the conference can be seen here: www.livestream.com/livingstreamcob/AC2015/videos
Following the conference, the EMCI family took a trip to the aquatic zoo and down to the marina, thanks to Port Tampa for a wonderful excursion to a WW2 War ship – Victory.
One of our founders, packages goodies and gift items from Nigeria for the girls (is that chin-chin I see)Mommy GadzamaDaddy GadzamaOne POV from the COB annual conferenceReunion night at the hotel in Tampa, prior to the COB Annual ConferenceThe Nigerian contingent at the COB conference made their presence felt!No, really, the Nigerian contingent was truly represented well at the COB Annual ConferenceEYN Women’s fellowship representing at the COB Annual ConferenceMrs. Gadzama, sharing her family’s 19 mnth journey with some of the escaped Chibok girls, the birth of Education Must Continue on June 6th, 2014 at the COB Annual Conference.Mrs. Gadzama sharing the work of EMCI schools in the IDP camps to the congregation at the COB Annual Conference. All we can say ‘thank you Lord, Our faith looks up to you Father. Because you live, we can face the future.’Prayers being said for the EMCI family at the COB ConferencePrayers for the EMCI Family from the COB familyThe EMCI family at the COB Annual Conference in Florida😉 mercy meGone out to seaAll Aboard Victory!!!
July 17th(ish) – First Chibok school girl escapee’s father arrives the US
“Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world.” We witnessed a wholehearted belief in this statement when one of the fathers of the girls in the States was able to visit with his daughter, for the first time since she left Chibok in the Fall of 2014.
When this GGSS Chibok escapee, arrived our “transition and orientation” home in Jos last September, we didn’t know how mature both educationally and socially she was. It was as if she had spent her entire life in the big city. Much of that growth and appreciation of the world outside of her small town that the exhibited came from her father.
From the moment he left his farm in the village, to his arrival at Capitol Hill, various obstacles that would have deterred many others came his way. Yet, he kept the same calm, hopeful demeanor up till his arrival at the residence where his daughter was staying.
We had hoped he would’ve been able to attend the COB annual conference, but due to some logistical delays, he wasn’t able to make it. However, his trip was not in vain as he was a father-like symbol to the girls while there, and was also present at the following week’s rally in D.C. …
Our girl, seeing her dad for the first time in almost a year. They’ve come a long way from Chibok….
July 20th week – Buhari @ capitol hill and rally with Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson
On Tuesday, July 21st, Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari met with the U.S. congress at Capitol Hill; the EMCI family in the region was on hand to rally for the cause. Not only were they present, but our cause was further advocated by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson representing Florida’s 24th District.
We already had an established contact with the Congresswoman when in conjunction with 5 other Congresswomen, she hosted a press conference for the escaped girls schooling in the U.S. to mark the one year date of their abduction on April 15th.
This was the flyer used by to commemorate the one year date of the abduction of the Chibok girlsRep Wilson welcoming President Buhari to Capitol HillRep Wilson with President Buhari during his visit to Capitol HillDC Rally with the CongresswomanRep Wilson, rallying for the BBOG causeCongresswomen Frederica S. Wilson meeting Mrs. Gadzama for the first timeCongresswoman Frederica S. Wilson with the EMCI family in D.C.Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson with one of the GGSS Chibok EscapeesA pose with the Congresswoman at the Rally in D.C. (President Buhari is somewhere in ‘that building’ in the background)Rally Rally Rally!
July 20th week – Girls’ summer trip back home
To give some context behind this event, last year when we initially got the opportunity to aid the transition of escaped Chibok Schoolgirls to the U.S., only four girls and their families were bold enough to take the step. These four girls were the first to go in September, and since then, only one had made a trip back to Nigeria. Much like their American counterpart students, we felt the importance of them being able to visit with their families since they had been away for almost a year.
Three girls came home and visited with some of the family they left behind. Tragically, shortly after she had departed to the U.S., one of the girls lost her father to illness and one of her brothers after the village he was at in was attacked by Boko Haram. The fourth girl who was among the first batch of departures, became orphaned while she was away. She did not travel back this summer.
The Lord bless the souls of the faithful departed
One of our Chibok Girls Schooling in the US, reunited with her classmate whom she hadn’t seen since the night of the abduction in April, 2014Aug 3rd – Back from the U.S.
Following their month long trip to the States, Mr. and Mrs. Gadzama returned to Abuja in the first week of August. However, the mission didn’t stop there…
Aug 4th – Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson in Abuja
On August 4th, the official Bring Back our Girls campaign organization held a rally at the Unity Fountain in Abuja. Representing Florida’s 24th district was Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson yet again to advocate the cause.
Currently, there is one Chibok schoolgirl escapee residing in Nigeria who has not been able to attain a visa to travel to the U.S. in furtherance of her education. This saga has been ongoing since November last year. When the congresswoman heard her story, she stood by her side throughout the rally. We continue to hope and pray that she will be granted the visa in the near future to enable her to be reunited with her sisters overseas and continue her educational ambitions.
Thank you for taking the time to follow us on this lifelong journey.
Till next time,
EMCI
Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson at the BBOG rally in Abuja in August. 2 Seats to her right is the aforementioned Chibok Schoolgirl still awaiting her visa to be able to travelAnother Shot of the Congresswoman with our hopeful Chibok schoolgirl, still in Nigeria. We’ll get her there …
The month of June was full of activity for us here at EMCI on different fronts; both in Nigeria and in the U.S.A. For starters, June 1st brought about a regime change at the Federal and State levels. Efforts to combat the Boko Haram insurgency were reinforced by commitments made by the incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari. We continue to pray fervently for an end to this menace and for a sustainable peace that will foster an educative environment.
The first week of the month saw a joint effort between EMCI and Family Worship Center (FWC), Abuja go to IDP camps in Yola where we donated relief materials to camp officials as well as internally displaced persons. Some of the teenage girls (pictured) have lost contact with their families while escaping terror attacks. They are called “unaccompanied minors.” It took a short time to mobilize the Unaccompanieds. Many others showed up too and you might have a fracas or stampede. National Emergency Management (NEMA) officials carefully coordinated the distribution to avoid any incidents as the supplies couldn’t reach everyone in line.
Team EMC/FWC also visited an unregistered camp. Unlike government camps, they have makeshift sticks and thatch structures – not buildings. Pictured is the staff room for the teachers at the refugee schools. They are IDPs themselves. We gave them money for soap. They are all volunteers…
We got to meet the kids – hundreds of them. Our representative asked quiz questions in class. One girl answered correctly who the president of the US was. So we had to give prizes to the winners 🙂
During the month, we were also mentioned in an Al Jazeera article, written by a dear friend to EMCI. Check it out here.
Already mentioned in our original blogpost was the donation of various office equipment, supplies and other material by the EU Mission to Nigerian to EMCI. Pictures of some of these are subsequently shown. We cannot begin to thank all those who had a hand in making that a reality. All we can do is ensure that they reach those who need them the most. God bless you.
Some of these items were distributed to IDP’s at the Stephanos camp at Bukuru, Jos. This camp is located at a former secondary school, and even though they have cement-walled buildings (unlike the ones in Yola), it is far from optimal. The family members coordinating the affairs of the camp are pictured with some of our staff as they received relief items.
Our founders made two more trips to Yola, to check the affairs of things at the camps, in addition to donating of relief materials. “Over the mountains, and through thick and thin straw-thatched buildings” EDUCATION MUST and WILL CONTINUE!!!
Coming back to where it all started, there was a pleasant reunion of the 10 escaped Chibok schoolgirls who have been relocated to the United States. Summer just started and these girls are excited for their first “barbecue-season” in the land of the free. They recently took ESL exams and it will please you to know that they are all making significant academic progress… more to come later.
Thank you for accompanying us on this ride… hang tight for the next one.
EMCI and FWC donating relief materialsDonating items to unaccompanied minors with assistance from NEMA (1)Donating items to unaccompanied minors with assistance from NEMAEMCI and FWC donating items to unaccompanied minorsDonating items to unaccompanied minorsEMCI and FWC donating items to unaccompanied minors (1)EMCI and FWC donating items to unaccompanied minors (2)EMCI representative preparing gifts for some of the childrenstaff room for the teachers at the refugee schoolsDispersing funds to teachers at the refugee schoolsPrayers being said at staff room for the teachers at the refugee schoolsOne at a time… receiving their giftsChildren queuing up for their gift itemsLots and lots of kids. No kidding!SOOOO many kidsLots and lots of kids… Seriously… No kidding!We have a winner!!!EMCI staff going through items received from the EU mission to NigeriaEMCI staff going through items received from the EU mission to Nigeria (1)EMCI staff going through items received from the EU mission to Nigeria (2)EMCI Donating Items to Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru JosEMCI Donating Items to Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru Jos (1)Smiles from some of the IDPs at Stephanos Camp at Bukuru, JosEMCI Donating Items to Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru Jos (2)EMCI founders with the coordinators of the Stephanos IDP camp at Bukuru, JosCross section of Parents at the meting with two of EMCI board members. And children excited about the visit. (1)Cross section of parents meeting 2 EMCI board members (2)Cross section of parents meeting 2 EMCI board members (3)Pose with Sambisa escapees (1)Cross section of parents meeting 2 EMCI board members (5)“Accommodation”A newborn in one the camps in Yola. Let’s pray she grows to live in a society better than the one she was born into…Reunion of the 10 today (1)Reunion of the 10 todayGirls taking exams today with one of our American volunteers assisting
Our founders, a couple months earlier at the EMCI Ground-Zero School (Fall 2014)
One of our contributors with an escaped schoolgirl smile with the items being donated
🙂 some of these girls hadn’t seen their classmate since April 14th 2014
Chibok girls smile after receiving their items at the school in Jos
Handing the list of items to the class captain of the Chibok girls in Jos.
EMCI Youth Football Team in the IDP camp in Yola
EMCI Youth Football Team in the IDP Camp in Adamawa
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
First aid and foodstuffs donated by the EU Election Observation Mission, being taken to Yola
Relief item distribution
Inventorying items and overseeing relief distribution
EMC with one of the girls in school at Oregon
Touchdown, USA! Our EMCI member taking a selfie with the girls and a school official.
A pose with the girls in Oregon and our EMCI members
🙂
Emmanuel Ogebe, one of our founders at an event in Washington D.C.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Welcome to the first official blog post of Education Must Continue Initiative. We have a come a long way in less than a year since our inception. Many individuals and organizations have contributed in one way or another to our mission, without whom, we would be nowhere near where we are now. We’d like to say thank you to each and everyone of you.
The week of May 3rd – May 9th was a remarkable one. There were events and activities running across our global network, from Oregon to Yola. Here’s a brief insight into the week that was:
Thursday, May 7th
Abuja
We received a donation of various office, educational, and First Aid material from the EU Election Observation Mission.
Jos
Visited and distributed personal care items to the escaped Chibok girls who are currently attending school here.
Friday, May 8th
Yola
Transported many of the items donated by the EU Election Observation Mission to the IDP camp and EMCI school in Yola
Oregon
Visited with the Chibok girls who are currently attending school there.
Washington D.C.
Paid a courtesy call on Nigerian embassy.
Saturday, May 9th
Yola
Relief distribution to the camp here. This is our ground-zero.
Washington D.C.
Spoke at a conference in DC
Thank you for taking the time to learn about this unique experience.
