The people of Gamboru community in Maiduguri, Borno State, have embraced the 1 GAME Campaign and vowed to embrace western education. They made known their stand during a recent meeting which Agafi Kunduli, 1 GAME Campaign Project Development Coordinator, held with leaders of Gamboru Ward in Maiduguri on the need for the community to embrace western education.

The 1 GAME Campaign is currently working to improve school enrolment and access to learning materials for kids in Borno State where only 28% of school-age children attend school.

Kunduli during the meeting said the first step towards involvement is to agree to push every child back to school for the new term — and then to talk to others about getting involved at mosque, church, work and home.

“In order for us to move the needle in the right direction, we have to have solidarity,” he said. “It’s going to take time, it’s going to take volunteers, it’s going to take a commitment on the part of this entire community.”

Kunduli said it’s time for this community to decide what is acceptable and what is not.

“It’s important for us to say, ‘In our community, we do what’s best for children and families first. It’s just what we do,’ ” he said. “When we have all our children in school, we would have built the perfect future for this community.”

Kunduli who showed samples of branded 1 GAME Exercise Books and Pens to the community leaders, said children who agree to return to school will get books and pens from 1 GAME Campaign to assist them in learning.

Responding, Gamboru leaders promised to mobilise indigenes with a task to move from house-to-house to ensure that every child returns to school for the second term.

Leader of the Ward, Alhaji Bukar Kolo Tobaco, who did much of the talking during the meeting, said it was their responsibility as leaders to ensure that education strives in the community and promised that every indigene will get involved in making sure children are in school.

“This move is very important for us. It will help children, help families and help the entire community,” he explained. “As leaders it’s our responsibility to ensure that our children are educated, and we’ll get everyone in this community involved. We want all our children to be educated.”

•Photo shows I GAME Project Coordinator, Agafi Kunduli, showing samples of exercise books meant for children in Gamboru to leaders of the community.