…Says Royal Iwere Foundation RIF Is Resolute To Empower, Nurture Great Minds In Riverine Communities
By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
As part of efforts to advance and create access to quality educational opportunities for children in under-served communities within the Warri Kingdom of Delta State, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III and Olori Atuwatse III’s Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF), have partnered with Valley Stream British Academy VAB, Sapele, to provide 27 children of Primary and Secondary School enrollment age of ages of 3-6 for scholarships.
This partnership exemplifies a strong commitment from RIF and VAB to cultivate future leaders who will contribute to the socio-economic advancement of the Warri Kingdom and impact the global landscape.
Speaking on the importance of the RIF Scholarship Fund, Olori Atuwatse III stated that, “The agency to transform our country and continent is education. We understand how critical it is for our children to access quality developmental education. 
This is why we invest robustly in education at the Royal Iwere Foundation to ensure the potentials of marginalized communities, especially the riverine, not to sidelined. I also applaud the management and staff of the Valley Stream British Academy, Sapele, for supporting this vision to nurture great minds regardless of their backgrounds.
“I also use this opportunity to encourage more educational institutions across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels to partner with us, as over 20 million children are out of school according to the UNESCO Global Education Report, and we have many more lives to impact.
“RIF is resolute in its mission to empower and nurture great minds in the Warri Kingdom because these children are the leaders of tomorrow, and tomorrow is almost here. Let’s equip them for it.”
The RIF Scholarship Fund is an initiative under the Education Project pillar of the Royal Iwere Foundation, the humanitarian arm of the Warri Kingdom Monarchy. This pillar has been described as a catalyst for positive change and has created educational pathways through projects such as the Teachers Training Programme, Teach For RIF, Love Gardens, STEM Hub Boot Camp, Story Time with Mama Iwere, and Raising Royalty Academy.
These initiatives aim to help riverine children and youths in underprivileged communities of the Warri Kingdom achieve their academic goals and contribute to the socio-economic advancement of Warri Kingdom, Delta State, and Nigeria at large.
The RIF Scholarship Fund works closely with community leaders, parents, and partner schools to provide comprehensive support across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education. Since its inception, it has impacted 43 beneficiaries: 22 at the primary level, 18 at the secondary level, and 3 at the university level. The beneficiaries, ranging in age from 9 to 25, include 19 males and 21 females across 15 communities in Warri.
The annual net worth of the scholarships is currently valued between ₦150,000,000 and ₦200,000,000.
The Primary and Secondary levels of the RIF Scholarship Fund provide 3-6 years of quality education to underprivileged children between the ages of 9-13 in reputable South-South Nigerian schools.
The multi-layered program identifies underserved communities, invites pupils for assessment tests, and offers a 6-8 week boarding program with dedicated teachers, a custom curriculum, and support from child therapists and medical practitioners. The fund wraps up with scholarship exams and onboarding for successful pupils who undergo medicals and complete documentation before starting their new schools.
Beneficiaries will also join RIF’s Raising Royalty Academy, gaining access to summer camps, leadership coaching, and development programs for global opportunities.
The Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering the people of the Warri Kingdom for a brighter future and is committed to effectively tackling obstacles and vulnerabilities that could hinder the Kingdom’s continuous development and its capacity to compete internationally through targeted SDG-oriented initiatives.
They urged indigene of the kingdom to contact the foundation directly for inquiries about the RIF projects.
According to public opinion in the kingdom, the partnership between the Royal Iwere Foundation and Valley Stream British Academy is a commendable effort to provide educational opportunities to children in under-served communities, and that awarding scholarships to 27 riverine children, the Olu of Warri and Olori Atuwatse III are investing in the future leaders of the Warri Kingdom and beyond.
They said it is heartening to see the emphasis placed on education as a tool for transformation and empowerment as the RIF Scholarship Fund, as part of the Education Project pillar, is making a significant impact in providing children with quality education and developing their potentials.
“The commitment to supporting these children through primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education is commendable.
“By partnering with community leaders, parents, and schools, the RIF Scholarship Fund is providing comprehensive support to ensure the success of its beneficiaries” They said.