District 9112 DEWEF Awards Highlights

*DEWEF Awards Highlights*

A total of 102 students (comprising 80 returning students and 22 new students) are beaming with joy and gratitude as they head back to their respective schools, thanks to the District 9112 Educational and Welfare Endowment Fund (DEWEF), which has awarded them scholarships valued at 250,000 each although the returning students maintain their previous scholarship status.

This award was presented to them during the DEWEF Award ceremony, which was held on Wednesday, May 7th, 2025, at the Keystone Bank Rotary Hall of Fame, located at the Rotary Center in Ikeja. The atmosphere was pure joy, as the awardees attended the event with their parents, who shared in their excitement over the scholarship that would support them through graduation, as long as they maintained good grades, one of the key criteria for selection.

District Governor D 9112, Rotarian Olufemi Adenekan, in his remarks, stressed the significance of the first edition of the District 9112 scholarship, stating that funding comes from the dedicated contributions of Rotarians and clubs, not the government. He therefore urged recipients to be ambassadors and maintain their GPAs to continue receiving support while striving for higher achievements.

Rotarian Abosede Ewumi, Chair of the DEWEF Scholarship, announced an increase in the scholarship amount from 100,000 to 250,000 naira per session, totaling over 14 million naira for students, along with mentorship until graduation. She highlighted the fair selection process involving collaboration with WAEC and interviews to assess candidates based on current affairs knowledge, Rotary familiarity, and financial need. The scholarship aims to support exceptional underprivileged students from diverse disciplines.

Rotarian Ewumi said “We intend to continue this initiative next year and select another group of recipients. Our goal is to increase the fund to support even more students in the future. I would like to extend my gratitude to the immediate past chairman, Rotarian Segun Adewakun, whose experience has been invaluable.”

PDG Yomi Adewunmi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for DEWEF, emphasized the organization’s commitment to enhancing Rotary’s visibility through educational support, stating that funding comes from generous contributions of Rotarians within District 9112, not government sources. He reiterated the importance of integrity and service within the organization, encouraging recipients to uphold Rotary’s values as part of their success story.

Present at the event was the District Governor Elect, Rotarian Lanre Adedoyin, along with the District Governor Nominee, Rotarian Layi Abidoye, and the core team of the District Governor. This team included DES Rotarian Wilson Esangbedo, DT Rotarian Bayo Erinle, and Chief of Staff PAG Taiwo Olubunmi. The event was expertly hosted by Rotarian Segun Adewakun.