The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Youth Province 1, Festac, has distributed back-to-school items to 2150 children across its parishes, as part of efforts to encourage education and reduce the financial burden on parents at the start of the new academic session.
A statement by the province on Thursday, said the event, tagged Back to School Drive, was held simultaneously across all parishes in the province and saw children receive essential school supplies, including school bags, water bottles, exercise books, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, mathematical sets, and other learning materials.
Speaking at the distribution exercise, Pastor-in-Charge of Youth Province 1, Pastor Oluwagbemileke Adeboye, explained that the initiative was organised by the Pastor-in-Charge of Province CSR, Pastor Martins Olusakin, in collaboration with the Assistant Pastor-in-Charge of Province Admin, Pastor Abiodun Famojuro.
Adeboye stressed the importance of education as a tool for nation-building and personal development, saying, ‘Education is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children because it empowers them to dream bigger, think critically, and contribute meaningfully to society. By providing these items, we are not just giving school supplies — we are investing in their future and ensuring that nothing stands in the way of their learning as they resume school’.
Parents and guardians expressed gratitude for the initiative, noting that the support came at a crucial time when many families are struggling with rising costs of educational materials.
One of the beneficiaries, 10-year-old David Oye, excitedly displayed his new school bag and mathematical set, saying, ‘I am happy because I can now go back to school with a new bag, books and pencils’.
The RCCG Youth Province 1 leadership reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the education of children in its host communities and promised to make the Back-to-School Drive an annual initiative.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal churches with millions of members worldwide, has a long history of corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Through its Christian Social Responsibility arm and His Love Foundation, the church has supported education, health care, and community development projects across the country.
PUNCH Online reports that in January 2025, RCCG Youth Province 1 in Festac offered free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms to indigent students, a move that helped many young people prepare for higher education without the financial barrier of registration fees.
Earlier in June 2024, RCCG Old Pen Cinema Parish donated five new desktop computers and refurbished nine others to Vetland Junior Grammar School in Agege, Lagos, to boost ICT education and improve digital literacy among pupils (Punch report.
Also in 2024, RCCG Lagos Province 109, Abundant Rain Parish, extended support to petty traders and vulnerable families through empowerment initiatives, providing resources and training to strengthen livelihoods.
Beyond direct education support, the church has also taken steps to ease social pressures that indirectly affect schooling. In September 2024, RCCG Youth Province 1 provided free bus rides to commuters in Lagos as part of efforts to cushion the rising cost of transport, a measure that also benefited schoolchildren and parents struggling with daily expenses.
