BNET AGM July 2025

This year the Trust has concentrated on maintaining our existing grants and ensuring the beneficiaries get the maximum benefit from them. The general economic uncertainty in the country and the steady deterioration in schools’ infrastructure & facilities, especially outside the major cities, has meant the Trust has been approached by scores of applications for new grants and it has been difficult to assess them all adequately in order to determine if we are in a position to contribute positively. We are 2 also aware the security situation, again mainly outside the cities, remains uncertain which means it is difficult for us to visit potential applicants.

So, we have focused on supporting our established partners and I can list them now as follows:

N.T.I. KADUNA

We continue to sponsor one serving teacher from each of the 36 States + FCT doing their 3-year online NCE course. We sponsor their 2nd & 3rd year fees, provided they pass the minimum in their exams each year as well as award a prize of N100,000 to the best student at the end of the course. The prize is called the Gary Clark prize named in honour and memory of our late Secretary. To follow up on this project, we remain indebted to Professor Kabiru Isyaku who continues to monitor and handle our projects in the North. It is important we support active teachers looking to increase their teaching expertise rather than those looking to take the course to increase their job prospects elsewhere.

The existing cohort finish this year and we remain in discussions with NTI once the current cohort complete their NCE course to change our sponsorship to those serving teachers looking to take the online degree course which we hope will strengthen their skills even more.

IBRA FOUNDATION SCHOOL – MIRINGA, BORNO STATE

This year the school completed installation of a new overhead water tank & solar driven submersible pump for the school borehole, for a total value of N2.4m which BNET sponsored. Our relationship with this school seems to me to be a template for the way BNET can work with schools to maximise the benefits to the school and to the Trust.

BNET was introduced to the school via a member of the Nigeria High Commission here in London during the height of the Boko Haram problems in the North East and we have supported them for the last eight years with a range of annual projects, proposed by the school management, which we have financed. For the school, knowing we will support them allows them to plan new projects or get help for unexpected setbacks which enables the school to grow. For BNET, we have the satisfaction of knowing our money is well spent and benefiting students that otherwise might not have had that opportunity.

REEL FOUNDATION – LAGOS

Again, this is an organisation we have supported for many years. Members will recall they are based in the outskirts of Lagos and arrange after hours activities for local children combining fun & learning. Their founder, Ajoke Adeola, attended our 2019 AGM and gave a wonderful review of how the organisation has grown over the last few years thanks, in part, to 3 our sponsorship. Last year we gave them a grant of N10m to support their work and will be doing so again to assist with operational expenses to give them digital literacy training.

SUPPLY OF NIGERIA & AFRICA JIGSAW PUZZLES

This initiative has proved very popular with the schools where we have distributed them. We purchased 500 jigsaws (for a total £4000) – half of them showing the countries in Africa & half of the States in Nigeria – and shipped them to Nigeria. Half the quantity was distributed in the South from Lagos by Greg and half in the North from Kano.

Again, our thanks to Professor Kabiru. Helping the children to learn the names & geography of the States of Nigeria and the countries of Africa has combined the gaining of knowledge with the realisation it can be fun – which we feel is a perfect combination.

DAILY DELIGHT MONTESSORI SCHOOL – LAGOS

This is another initiative & project in its third year where we sponsor 15 children to attend this school whose parents would otherwise not be able to afford the fees. Fees continue to rise and indeed their landlord has increased their rent by 25% but we will continue to support the school.

HOPE FOR THE VILLAGE CHILD FOUNDATION – KADUNA

This is the Catholic organisation run by Sister Rita which we have supported again for many years. In her eighties, Sister Rita continues to live in Kaduna and run her Foundation that supports children’s education in rural communities of South Kaduna. One of their initiatives is to take children on local trips outside their villages and organise out of school drawing & colouring sessions. BNET helps to sponsor the materials and support the volunteers.

LIFE BUILDERS INITIATIVE – ABUJA

We continue to sponsor 25 children in the programme which helps educate children from some of the IDP camps around Abuja. This remains a high priority project which we hope we can expand.

As always, I want to thank the work of the Trust’s officers and the support of the Trustees and Members without which, none of the projects would have been successful. Thanks especially to our Secretary Elizabeth Dudley and our Treasurer John Lee who ensure the administration of the Trust is up to date and financially sound. Above all, I thank again our Nigerian based Trustees, Engineer Greg Ojieh, Professor Kabiru Isyaku & Dele Fatayi-Williams. Without their experienced and expert input in so many areas, BNET would be a far less effective organisation.

Finally, I thank Frances Tarr our retired administrator for coming out for the day to assist us and Karen Sussex who runs and updates our website, sends out newsletters and has now also taken our membership administration under her most efficient control. And, of course, I thank all of the members, those of you who are here and those of you who could not make it for your continued support.

David Brandler, 24-07-2025