FOTA Abuja Children’s Church Offers Scholarships, Wheelchair Support in Back-to-School Programme

By Iyojo Ameh

The Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Abuja, through its Children’s Church, has awarded scholarships, donated school materials, and provided a wheelchair to a physically challenged child as part of its annual Back-to-School Programme, held during this year’s Neighbourhood Sunday.

Neighbourhood Sunday, which takes place once a year as one of the church’s four Super Sundays, is dedicated to showing love to the community through acts of giving and compassion.

Speaking during the service, the Lead Pastor of FOTA, Pastor Funke Kasali, said the initiative reflects the church’s commitment to uplifting lives and supporting children in their educational journey.

“The best life we can live is a life of giving and also enjoying our lives. Solomon, the wisest man, said the best thing for you to do is to eat and drink, but also to do good. That’s what Neighbourhood Sunday represents, ordinary people doing extraordinary things through love and giving,” Pastor Kasali said.

She added that true Christianity is demonstrated in making a difference in people’s lives, noting that this year’s edition featured both scholarships and support for children with special needs.

The pastor also commended the Children’s Church leadership for organizing the programme and thanked Deacon Kunle Osibajo for facilitating the provision of a wheelchair to aid the mobility of a physically challenged child in the congregation.

Scholarships and School Materials

The Head of the Children’s Church, Deacon Kunle Osibajo, explained that the Back-to-School Gifts Programme, which began on August 10 and ran throughout the month, was designed to ease the burden of school expenses on parents.

He said the church distributed essential school items including bags, water bottles, and textbooks to encourage pupils and support families.

“Today is the grand finale of the programme. Unlike last year, we introduced a new component this year by providing school fees support of ₦50,000 each to six children. We paid directly into their school accounts to ensure transparency and proper utilization,” Osibajo revealed.

He added that the provision of the wheelchair to the young boy, raised by a single mother, was made possible through a donor based in the United States who supports children with medical needs.

Community-Supported Initiative

Deacon Osibajo further disclosed that the programme was powered entirely by voluntary contributions from members of the church.

“The gift items were donated by men and women of God here, pastors, deacons, brothers, and sisters. We called for donations, and members responded generously,” he said.
He equally used the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed towards the success of this year’s event and urged Nigerians to do good and lend a helping hand during this trying times in the nation.

He expressed optimism that the initiative would be expanded next year, noting that Pastor Kasali has already charged the Children’s Church to scale up the programme.

A Call to Love and Giving

In her closing remarks, Pastor Kasali encouraged members of the congregation and Nigerians at large to embrace a lifestyle of cheerful giving.

“In these trying times, people may find it difficult to show love. But to reap, you must sow. Give cheerfully, give happily, give to humanity and the things of God. When you give, you make people’s lives better, and that is true Christianity,” she said.

The Back-to-School Programme during Neighbourhood Sunday has become one of FOTA Abuja’s flagship initiatives aimed at empowering children, supporting education, and promoting a culture of compassion within the community.