Smile Foundation Awards Scholarships, Donates School Materials to Vulnerable Children in Kumba

Kumba — The Smile Foundation has awarded tuition scholarships to 10 children and donated school materials to more than 230 vulnerable children in Kumba as part of its 5th annual Back-to-School Campaign, "Back to School with Smile".

The donation, which took place on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the Presbyterian Church (P.C.) Kumba Town, is aimed at helping vulnerable and less privileged children prepare for the 2026–2027 academic year.

The donated materials included exercise books, pens, pencils, rulers and erasers, providing beneficiaries with basic learning supplies ahead of the new school year.

The 10 scholarship beneficiaries received received tuition support to pursue their education in various schools across Meme Division.

Addressing beneficiaries, parents, church leaders and guests, through a speech delivered at the ceremony, Egbe Patience Welisane, the Founder and CEO of the Smile Foundation said the campaign was driven by the organisation's commitment to ensuring that poverty and difficult circumstances do not prevent children from pursuing their education.

“At Smile Foundation, we believe that a child’s circumstances should never be allowed to determine the limits of their dreams,”

She also highlighted the academic performances of children already enrolled in the foundation's previous scholarship programs, noting that all the scholarship beneficiaries successfully progressed to the next class.

“For us, this is not simply a statistic. It is a testimony.”

According to the founder, the success of the scholarship beneficiaries has encouraged the foundation to expand its support to more children facing difficulties in accessing education.

Appeal for More Support

The Smile Foundation also used the occasion to appeal to individuals, businesses, organisations, philanthropists and other people of goodwill to support its humanitarian and educational initiatives.

Egbe Patience Welisane disclosed that the organisation currently operates without established major donors or sponsors, relying largely on personal sacrifice, goodwill and available resources to sustain its programes.

The foundation is therefore seeking partnerships to provide more scholarships, school fees and educational materials to children from vulnerable families.

“We need partners who will say, ‘I may not be able to help everyone, but I can help one child,” the founder said.

The organisation stressed that even small contributions could make a difference, particularly for children whose education is threatened by poverty, displacement or the loss of parental support.

Supporting Vulnerable Children

During the event, the parish pastor of PC Kumba town, Rev. Njasomo Albert appreciated the Smile foundation for the innitiative, while praying for the Foundation, he also encouraged other persons of goodwill to join the partnership and ensure that children receive quality education.

The Smile Foundation has over the years carried out humanitarian interventions targeting vulnerable groups, including orphans, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and less privileged families.

Speaking to Pinnacle Times, Frida Egbe, public relations officer of the foundation also explained the importance of supporting children with basic educational materials, particularly those whose families may struggle to meet the costs associated with returning to school.

For the beneficiaries, the support was described as timely and valuable, with recipients expressing gratitude to the Smile Foundation for helping ease the financial burden associated with the new school year.

The foundation says it remains committed to restoring hope, empowering children and supporting vulnerable communities, while calling for more partners to join its efforts.

The 5th edition of the Back-to-School Campaign ended with a renewed commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind because of poverty or circumstances beyond their control.