SPEECH DELIVERED BY RT. HON. DR. UZOR FSA, CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR. UZOR CARES FOUNDATION, AT THE FORMAL LAUNCH OF THE FOUNDATION AND AWARD OF BURSARIES TO 87 ELIGIBLE STUDENTS OF TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FROM UDI AND EZEAGU LGAS – 14/02/2025
Protocols:
It is my profound honour and great privilege to welcome you to the epoch-making event of today: the formal launch of Dr Uzor Cares Foundation and award of bursaries to 87 eligible students of Tertiary Education Institutions from Udi and Ezeagu LGAs. Your presence here is a powerful affirmation of our collective commitment to uplifting our communities and transforming lives. Please join me in giving a warm round of applause to our distinguished guests for their manifest passion for charitable causes and the positive change they inspire.
Who We Are:
Founded in October 2024, Dr. Uzor Cares Foundation is a Non-profit and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to uplifting individuals and communities through the power of friendship and goodwill.
Chaired by Dr. Uzor FSA and guided by a 10-member Board of Trustees (others are Mrs. Uche Eze, kene Eze, Peter Aniagbaoso, Okey Igbonekwu, Evaristus Anibueze, Michael Uzor, Ernest Eziokwu, Mrs. May Gbanite and Jude Jideofor) our Foundation works tirelessly to improve lives, fostering meaningful change for those in need.
With the motto “Leveraging network of friendship and goodwill, lifting the people,” we are committed to creating a better future for individuals and communities, driven by a deep sense of purpose and collective action.
Our Philosophy: Vision and Mission:
At the core of our Foundation’s consciousness lies a driving philosophy that aligns with our vision and mission. Our Foundation envisions a society where poverty is reduced to the barest minimum and where everyone, particularly our youths, have access to essential resources, education and support to lead a meaningful life. Our Foundation is committed to helping needy individuals in our communities escape poverty through vocational training/skill development, entrepreneurship support, provision of educational opportunities, healthcare assistance, advocacy and other social services.
Key Objectives:
The following key objectives drive the realization of our Foundation’s Vision amd Mission:
Poverty Alleviation
Creation of innovative programs to reduce poverty in our communities through vocational training, skill development and promotion of entrepreneurship.
Education Access
Supporting educational pursuit of underprivileged persons through Bursary/Scholarship grants, mentorship etc.
Health & Wellbeing
Supporting physical and financial access to healthcare services and wellness programs as well as promotion of health-seeking behavior.
Advocacy
Promotion of policies that tackle the root causes of poverty, supporting social justice, and amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals
Key Programs:
Our key programmes include Educational Sponsorships; through this initiative, we offer Bursary/Scholarships, supply educational materials, and provide mentorship to indigent children, improving their educational opportunities. Under our healthcare programme we plan to hold healthcare outreach, Health Camps/Missions to enhance health literacy and access in underserved areas while supporting cost of healthcare for the very poor.
Our Skill/Vocational Training Initiatives will provide skills training in different trades including Tech/digital economy to help our Youths secure employment or start their businesses. We will also provide micro-grants and interest-free micro-loans to small entrepreneurs to promote economic independence.
Activities So Far:
As a nascent Foundation, we have already made significant impact by reaching out to numerous individuals in need. Although we are yet to formally launch, we have responded to pressing demands by offering assistance to those in distress, specifically by paying hospital bills for some persons in need.
Additionally, we provided palliatives to over 200 indigent widows and physically challenged persons during the last yuletide period, demonstrating our commitment to supporting our community in times of need. Details of these and more can be found on our website: druzorcaresfoundation.org.
Furthermore, we have enthroned our Foundation’s Year 2025 Round of Bursary for eligible students of Tertiary Education Institutions from Udi and Ezeagu LGAs. Under this Bursary scheme, 87 students from Udi and Ezeagu LGAs qualified.
The Foundation’s Year 2025 round of Bursary: The Journey to Today:
In our avowed determination to ensure a fair and transparent selection process for the prospective beneficiaries of our Bursary scheme, we implemented a comprehensive and systematic approach that was both meticulous and equitable. The process commenced with online application, enabling a diverse range of eligible candidates to express their interest in the Bursary programme irrespective of their city/State of abode. A designated window of one month, from 1st November to 30th November, 2024 was created for interested students to submit their online applications. This period was preceded by a two-week announcement aimed at raising awareness and ensuring that all potential applicants were informed and prepared to participate.
1. Online Application Phase: We launched a dedicated online platform, designed with intuitive navigation, where applicants could seamlessly submit their information and supporting documentation. This user-friendly system was carefully crafted to ensure accessibility for all potential candidates, regardless of their technical proficiency. We clearly communicated the eligibility criteria through detailed guidelines and informative resources, empowering applicants to fully understand the requirements before embarking on their application journeys.
2. Initial Screening: At the close of the application period, our dedicated team conducted a thorough initial review of the applications to verify the completeness and accuracy of each submission. This critical step was imperative in ensuring that all applications adhered to the basic eligibility requirements meticulously outlined in our comprehensive guidelines, thus safeguarding the integrity of the selection process.
3. Evaluation/Interview: The eligibility criteria earlier communicated in our call-for-applications informed the development of a comprehensive set of interview questions to ensure a systematic assessment of the applicants. This engagement covered academic performance, financial need, personal statements and supporting references, enabling us to gain a nuanced understanding of each applicant’s unique circumstances and qualifications. The insightful interviews allowed our team to explore the applicants’ motivations and aspirations more deeply, providing invaluable insights into each applicant’s character, resilience, and commitment to his/her educational journey and fostering a more profound connection with them.
4. Final Selection: After thorough evaluations by the interview panel, each candidate was considered holistically, taking into account, not just the candidate’s academic achievements and financial situations, but also the personal circumstances that shaped his/her journey. This comprehensive assessment helped the Foundation in recognising both the challenges and triumphs of each applicant and ensuring that selection of the Bursary beneficiaries was equitable and perfectly aligned with our mission to uplift and support deserving students in their educational endeavors, fostering a brighter future for all.
G. Summary: 135 online applications were received out of which 90 applicants responded to our call for interviews and physical verification of documents/ validation of claims. In the end, 87 persons out of the 90 were found qualified while 3 persons could not establish their status as students and stood disqualified. The Trustees of DR. UZOR CARES FOUNDATION hereby convey their warm felicitations to these eligible 87 sons and daughters of Agbaja Land. Our Foundation’s Trustees further mandated me to announce a modest BURSARY OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND NAIRA TO EACH BENEFICIARY FOR THE 2025 ACADEMIC YEAR.
As we bring the 2025 Bursary award process to a close, we urge our young people to keep their eyes on our announcement channels for our forthcoming dynamic empowerment programme for our Youths.
G. Conclusion: At Dr. Uzor Cares Foundation, humanity is our business. We believe that every act of kindness, no matter how small, holds the power to create waves of positive change; we believe that we need not solve most of our problems before lending a hand to others; we believe in the words of John Bunyan, that “we have not lived today until we have done something for someone who can never repay us”; we believe in the words of Pablo Picasso that “the meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away”.
My brothers and sisters, this journey is for us, a call to make sacrifices for others; it is for us a mission to show love for one another. We believe that today, 14th day of February, in the year of our Lord 2025, a day the world set aside to celebrate love and friendship, is the most auspicious time to show this love.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to convey our Foundation’s Happy Valentine’s day wishes to our Bursary awardees, to our guests, to everyone here. I invite the awardees to rise and wave a hand of acknowledgement to all of us here. ………………………………….. Yes, this moment truly belongs to you, rise and be glad in it. Congratulations !!!.
Thank you and God bless you.
In God We Trust.
14/02/2025
