BENIN CITY – Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), yesterday offered scholarship award to a total of 520 Secondary School Students of its clients across all regions of LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited worth N26 million.

Yesterday’s scholarship was the fifth in the series which was endowed with the sum of 10,000 US dollars being cash prize LAPO received in 2006, when LAPO Microfinance Bank won the Grameen Foundation Award for Excellence in Microfinance.

However, over the years, LAPO Microfinance Bank has been making contributions to the scholarship fund; which kicked off with 72 beneficiaries in 2008, to its present number of 1,224 in 2012.

Welcoming guests to the occasion, the Managing Director of LAPO, Mr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe represented by Mr. Moses Ehigiamusoe, GM, LAPO stated that the rationale behind the scheme was that quite often, clients of LAPO required something more than credit while their demand for loans are prompted by some stronger desires about the future of their children bordering on quality education.

He added that with the formulation of LAPO’s sustainable Microfinance policy, the organisation has promised to expand its social empowerment activities in the years ahead.

Also speaking, the Chairperson, LAPO Scholarship Board, Prof. Christiana Okojie said about five awards will be granted this year for tertiary education to children of clients who are in dire need, adding that a total of 50 children of non-clients of LAPO in very difficult situation already benefited from this year’s scholarship award.

In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion and former Vice-Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Prof. J.E.A. Osemeikhian urged the beneficiaries to be studious and make judicious use of the scholarship just as he charged them to justify the confidence reposed in them.

He commended LAPO for its decision to invest in the future of the children and urged other organisations to emulate LAPO. Highpoint was presentation of cheques to beneficiaries.

SOURCE: The Nigerian Observer