The board of Connak Foundation has postponed it’s 10th Anniversary/Annual Yuletide events after an executive session held on Sunday, 30th October 2022.
The Foundation, after extensive deliberations took the decision .
“We understand that this change may cause great inconvenience for our 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 board through a statement from the Chief Executive Officer ,Mrs. Carole Emeka Sunday, however apologized and regret the inconveniences that may have arose from rescheduling the plans within short notice, adding that the decision was necessary after due consideration regarding the political atmosphere.
“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 the 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 restrategize 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!
Mrs. Carole Emeka Sunday
CEO, Connak Foundation
