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The Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Tin Can Island Chapter, Prince Olawale Cole, has donated back-to-school materials to children and young learners to promote education and academic development.
The initiative, carried out on behalf of the POC Maritime Foundation, provides school bags, exercise books, stationery, selected uniforms and water bottles. Designed as a “Back to School Gift”, it is sponsored by Cole to ease the financial burden of returning to school and keep pupils committed to their studies.
The foundation also produced educational materials, including exercise and arithmetic books featuring multiplication tables from one to ten and metric conversion guides covering kilometres, hectometres, decametres, metres, decimetres, centimetres and millimetres, to strengthen pupils’ numeracy skills.
Cole said he is committed to equipping young people with the tools to learn, grow and pursue their aspirations. The materials are expected to help pupils resume academic activities, particularly those who struggle to afford basic school supplies.
According to the organisers, the initiative is founded on the belief that small interventions can make a meaningful difference, ensuring that lack of basic learning materials does not become a barrier to education.
The gesture comes as families face rising obligations at the start of a new term, including school fees, uniforms, books and writing materials. For many households, equipping children for a new session adds pressure to family finances, making such support particularly relevant.
The foundation also seeks to promote a culture of giving and community support. Its educational materials carry the message “Help the Needy, Bringing Back the Smiles,” underscoring its aim of supporting vulnerable members of society.
The programme urges beneficiaries to “Keep Learning, Keep Growing,” while stressing the importance of supporting children’s dreams and helping them succeed academically. It also encourages children to see education as a pathway to personal development and a better future.
The foundation said the support was motivated by the desire to give children essential items and keep them focused on their education. It expressed hope that the gesture would bring joy to beneficiaries and encourage them in their studies.
Cole’s sponsorship also reflects his interest in using his position in the maritime and customs brokerage community to contribute to social and educational causes.
The initiative forms part of the foundation’s broader humanitarian philosophy of supporting people in need through targeted interventions. Cole reaffirmed that collective support for children can build a stronger future, with education as a major instrument for developing the next generation.
