For many children, going to school should be one of the safest parts of their day. It should be a place of learning, hope, friendship, and opportunity. Yet for one young girl in a rural community, a routine school day became a frightening reminder of the challenges many children still face in their pursuit of an education.
During the recent Sallah holiday, Barrister Stella Avosuahi Bello heard a story that deeply moved her. A young schoolgirl, determined to attend school and build a better future for herself, was reportedly bitten by a snake while trying to access her school environment.
The story stayed with her.
“It broke my heart,” Barrister Stella Bello recalled. “Our children already face enough challenges in their pursuit of education. No child should have to risk their safety simply because they want to learn.”
That painful story became a call to action.
Through the Moses Mary Abu Bello Family Foundation (MMAB Foundation), Barrister Stella Bello launched the ‘Children Deserve Safety Too’ initiative and has now delivered a newly constructed two-in-one toilet facility at Eyindudu Primary and Secondary School.
To some, it may appear to be a modest structure.
To the children who will use it every day, it represents something far more important: safety, dignity, protection, and the assurance that their wellbeing matters.
The project was undertaken in honour of the enduring legacies of Hajiya Hawawu Oziohu and Hajiya Rabiat Bello, whose lives reflected compassion, generosity, and service to others.
Barrister Stella Bello also expressed appreciation to His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, CON, whose longstanding commitment to community development and humanitarian service continues to inspire individuals and organisations to contribute positively to society.
“Leadership is not only about the positions we hold,” she said. “It is about the lives we touch and the opportunities we create for others. Every child deserves to learn in an environment that is safe, healthy, and dignified.”
Across many rural communities, inadequate sanitation facilities continue to expose schoolchildren to health risks, unsafe conditions, and avoidable hardship. While these challenges often receive little attention, they remain a daily reality for thousands of children.
The new facility at Eyindudu Primary and Secondary School is one step towards changing that reality.
It is a reminder that meaningful change often begins when people refuse to ignore the challenges facing their communities.
Barrister Stella Bello believes that while one project cannot solve every challenge confronting schoolchildren, every lasting transformation begins with a single step.
“If each of us contributes in whatever way we can, together we can build safer schools, healthier communities, and brighter futures for our children.”
The Foundation described the project as Phase One of a broader commitment to improving the welfare, safety, and learning environment of children in underserved communities.
MMAB Foundation also expressed gratitude to community leaders, school authorities, workers, volunteers, and supporters whose contributions made the project possible.
As the children of Eyindudu walk into school each day, they now do so with greater safety, dignity, and confidence.
Because every child protected today helps build a stronger future for our communities tomorrow.
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