-By Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie
It was a moment of happiness and excitement for over five hundred pupils of the Model Primary School Orogbum, D/Line, Obio-Akpor Local government Area, Rivers State, as some Rotary and Rotaract Clubs kicked off the new Rotary year with a joint, life-changing-project in that school.
The projects include oral hygiene which involves practical sessions of how to properly clean the mouth to avoid bad breath and donation of free tooth brushes and tooth paste. Others are planting of ten different economic trees and the WASH project, which involved sanitation and donation of two dozen waste bins.
Chineye Okechukwu, one of the Primary School pupil said the Oral Hygiene project has given her hope again as she once lost hope for a sparkling teeth and good breath.
“I didn’t know I would be able to speak and smile with so much confidence as I am now. Whenever I speak among my friends in school, they all close their nose and run away, I was stigmatized. After the practical of how to brush our mouth clean as shown by the Rotary clubs, I tried it with the free tooth brush and paste I got, I’m happy I can smile and talk with confidence among my friends, they were all cheering me, thank you Rotary”, she said.
Team Lead of the joint Project and President of the Rotaract Club of Port Harcourt Township, Blessing Augustine, said the Oral health Project for Primary Schools is an annual star project to kick-start the new Rotary year. She said this is the fifth edition of the project which is aimed at improving the oral health of the pupils. She commended the Rotary clubs for collaborating with the Rotaract club to make the project a success.
President of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Sky Waves, Otonye Ekine said “We direct our efforts to enhance our local and global impact. Our most successful and sustainable projects and activities tend to fall within the following areas of focus: Disease Prevention and Treatment, Environment and Sanitation and Hygiene. These areas reflect critical humanitarian issues and needs that Rotarians are addressing worldwide”.
On his part, Service Project Director of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt City Valley, Chukwunomso Ogubuefi expressed joy that the project is already creating impact among the pupils. He said Rotary will continue to carry out life-changing projects that will create hope and lasting peace in the host communities.
Supervising the execution of the projects, Assistant Governor of the Rotary International District 9141, zone 38, and Award-winning immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Rumuogba-Golden, Ngozi Okwum said “it is heart-warming to see that these projects are already #creatinghope and tackling emotional and #mentalwellbeing of the children. This is very dear to our #RotaryInternationalPresident #GordonMcinally who has asked us to prioritized projects that aims to support #mentalhealth
Other Rotaract clubs include Port Harcourt Township, D/Line, Sliver Valley and Rotaract club of Aba, District 9142.
Rotary clubs included in the joint project are: Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City, Spring Gardens, Top Health, New City, Rumuomasi, City Valley and Sky Waves.
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