Education

Tom Garba Foundation Extends Educational Support to 70 Indigent Students in Kaduna

November 8, 2026

By Mohammed Ismail

The Tom Garba Foundation (TGF) has provided financial assistance to 70 indigent students drawn from the 11 wards of Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State as part of efforts to promote access to education and empower youths from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The intervention, spearheaded by the foundation’s founder, Hon. Thomas Garba, popularly known as Tom Garba, is aimed at reducing the financial challenges confronting students and ensuring that poverty does not frustrate their educational aspirations.

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The latest intervention marks an expansion of the foundation’s educational support scheme, which commenced last year with 50 beneficiaries and increased to 65 students this year before an additional five were accommodated following an appeal by the Paramount Ruler of Chawai, His Highness Yahaya Mohammed.

Speaking during the presentation on Saturday, November 7, 2026, Garba said the foundation adopted an application-based selection process to ensure that the assistance reached students who genuinely needed it.

He explained that the programme was advertised through social media, radio and television, while applications were assessed based on applicants’ academic records and financial circumstances.

According to him, the decision to sustain and expand the initiative was informed by the need to give less privileged students equal opportunities to pursue their educational ambitions, irrespective of their economic backgrounds.

Garba clarified that the intervention was not primarily intended to pay school fees but to provide financial stipends to help beneficiaries meet routine academic and personal expenses.

Such expenses, he said, include transportation, learning materials, internet access and other educational necessities.

He disclosed that each of the first 65 beneficiaries received ₦25,000, while a friend of the foundation, Mr Matthew Kaku, complemented the intervention with an additional ₦10,000 for each of the 65 students.

The foundation’s founder also appealed to individuals, corporate organisations and private institutions to support government efforts towards improving educational opportunities, particularly at the grassroots.

He maintained that the responsibility of developing the education sector should not rest solely on government, stressing that private individuals and organisations have significant roles to play in building an educated and empowered society.

The intervention has attracted commendation from community members, who described it as a practical demonstration of commitment to youth development and the welfare of less privileged families.

A community representative praised Garba for his generosity and sustained investment in the educational advancement of young people, while urging the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the assistance and remain committed to their studies.

Some residents also recalled his longstanding record of supporting young people, describing the latest gesture as a continuation of his commitment to community development and humanitarian service.

The beneficiaries were equally encouraged to regard the financial assistance as an investment in their future, strive for academic excellence and extend similar support to others when they attain positions of responsibility.

The expansion of the programme from 50 beneficiaries in its inaugural year to 70 students in 2026 underscores the foundation’s determination to widen its reach and support more vulnerable students across Lere Local Government Area.

For the beneficiaries, the intervention provides financial relief and renewed encouragement to remain focused on their education, while underscoring the importance of private-sector participation in addressing educational challenges at the grassroots.