The Nigerian Television Authority visited the Children's Centre on May 19, 2007 to film a reading picnic. This took place through the good offices of Tony Alum, a reading consultant and graduate of the Department of Library and Information Science. The program features an interview about the Children's Centre, scenes of children reading in the library, an outdoor story hour for younger children, older children reading and playing table tennis outside, and a discussion on reading.

The Children's Centre family suffered a great loss with the death of one of our children, Uju Ubagu, daughter of our former member Sue Ubagu, in England late last year. At the memorial service Sue requested that donations go to benefit the Children's Centre, which played such a positive role in Uju's childhood. The 530 pounds sterling realized will go to projects focusing on Uju's interests.

Over 100 children enjoyed an action-packed program of activities from April 10th to 14th this year, featuring drama, music, dance, computer training, tie-and-dye, beadwork, films, sports, debate, and more. The program was conducted by a team of university student volunteers and youth corpers under the direction of Goodhead Uchendu, who initiated the program last year. A highlight was Friday, when UWA patron Mrs. Ify Nebo came to teach the older girls how to crotchet hand towels. At the closing ceremony on Saturday children entertained their parents with drama on good behavior and HIV/AIDS, choir singing, miming, and a football match attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedu Nebo and Mrs. Nebo.

Dr. Uche Azikiwe commissions football field
At the closing ceremony of the 2006 long vacation program Dr. Uche Azikiwe commissioned the Chukwudi Tobenna Douglas Azikiwe Children's Field, named in loving memory of her late grandson. The field was developed with a donation of N50,000 given by Dr. Azikiwe during the Silver Jubilee celebration. Following the cutting of the ribbon and ceremonial kick-off, the two best neighborhood teams from the vacation program --the Azikiwe team (in green) and Nebo team (in blue)-played the final match. The Centre thanks our good friend Uche Azikiwe for this generous gift. Thanks also goes to D. O. Dike of the Department of Health and Physical Education for his technical assistance in developing the field.

Gift from Chief (Dr.) E. C. Iwuanyanwu walls Children's Centre
With part of the 2 million naira given by our ever generous donor Chief Iwuanyanwu, the committee has completed walling of the compound. This will allow for fuller playground/sports development. The remaining money will be used to purchase an 18-seater bus for excursions, outreach, and other activities. We are ever grateful to Chief Iwuanyanwu for his generosity to the Children's Centre!

Women's reading club inaugurated through generosity of PULA

This session saw the take-off of a women's reading club made possible by the donation of books by PULA. Titles discussed so far include four tales of growing up in Nigeria--Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala, Graceland by Chris Abani, Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie, and Slavegirl by Buchi Emecheta. Remaining books for the year include the classic novels Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird and a nonfiction title, The Price of Motherhood by Ann Crittendon.

Events of 2005-2006

Prof. Willhelmina Kalu recognized for her contributions
The foundation chair of the Children's Centre, Willi Kalu, who now resides in the United States, was sent off in July 2006. Willi's contributions began at the very founding of the Children's Centre, when she was Secretary of UWA; she then served as Chair of the Children's Centre Committee for most years from its founding until 2002. Using her background in educational psychology and special education, Willi began the playground committee in 1979, initiated the International Year of the Child Festival of 1979 and International Youth Year Workshop of 1985, the Children's Centre Theatre, Motherless Babies Project, and Psycho-Educational Testing Services (PETS). She also contributed to the development of long vacation activity programs, the library, and the Ecumenical Religious Activities Program (ERAP). We wish her every success in her new endeavors, confident that she will continue to build on her work for the welfare of children and youth.

Easter vacation program
April 2006 saw the mounting of the first ever Easter vacation program, with 126 children registering for two weeks of computer training, dance, drama, excursions, art activities, debate and creative writing, sports and a picnic. The program was organized by Goodhead Uchendu, a university student, with assistance from his friends, librarian Margaret Ajogwu, members of the Children's Centre Committee, and staff of the Department of Library and Information Science. The grand finale was a performance for parents.

Help from the University School Old Friends in Lagos
Former campus children now living and working in Lagos have come together to assist the Children's Centre. Following a meeting with Virginia Dike, hosted by Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu in September 2005, Kelechi Ekezie donated two computers and a printer, while his brother Ken Ekezie has pledged a computer and CDs; Osita Ike sent a set of science encyclopedia and other books. Lemeke Mere, a member residing abroad, donated the sum of N10,000. In July2006 Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu and Chijioke Onuora came together to plan work on the playground.

Ada Udechukwu donates computer and office furniture
The former secretary of the library committee, Ada Udechukwu, gave the sum of N30,000 for furniture during a visit to Nsukka in January 2006. The money was used to build three tables and a printer stand for the computer laboratory and a custom-built cabinet to house the office files. The Centre is very grateful for Ada's continuing support of the Children's Centre.

Visits by schools expanded
January 2006 saw the extension of cooperation between the library and the staff primary school. First graders were visited in their classrooms for story hour, while second graders visited the library twice a week for library orientation. In 2007 the program was extended to include Community Primary School, Onuiyi. The children are introduced to the various types of pleasurable and informative library materials and taught the proper care of books.

Excursions! Excursions!
The 2005 long vacation program featured an extensive schedule of excursions, including two visits to the Enugu state capitol. Two busloads of children visited the airport, National Museum, a television house and FM station in Enugu. Visits in and around Nsukka included the zoo, archeaology museum, motherless babies home, and a religious retreat center. Transport was made available by Ify Nebo, the patron of UWA, and the University Librarian, E. Ikegbune.

UWA receives her patron, Mrs. Ify Nebo
Members of the University Women's Association welcomed their new patron, the wife of the Vice-Chancellor, Mrs. Ify Nebo in February 2005. At a reception held in her honor, the patron was given a guided tour of the Children's Centre and introduced to its programs and plans. Mrs. Nebo, a religious counselor with extensive experience in children's work and domestic arts, expressed delight in the Association's activities and pledged her support and active participation. Since that time she has provided welcome support to playground development, vacation activities, and the prison library project.

Ify Nebo is shown at the reception with Virginia Dike (L) and Nwanneka Nwala (R).

Alcove Donated in Memory of Prof. (Mrs.) Edith Ihekweazu
As their contribution to the Children's Centre Silver Jubilee, the children of the late Prof. (Mrs.) Edith Ihekweazu have donated an alcove for the African Children's Literature Research Collection. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Ada Ozoemena and Edozie Ihekweazu presented this in memory of their mother, who was an active contributor to the Children's Centre and strong proponent of African literature during her lifetime. The donation includes bookshelves, table and chairs, and Hausa leatherwork pouffes. The family has also undertaken to build up the collection with an annual gift for book purchases, beginning with N20,000 received from Ada Ozoemena in June 2006.

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, a medical doctor now resident in England , made the presentation at a reception held during his visit to Nigeria in May 2005. During the occasion Chikwe spoke on the positive role the Children's Centre played in his generation's growing up, and members shared memories of Edith and her contributions to the project.

Edith Ihekweazu was part of the Children's Centre from the very beginning, attending the library opening in October 1978. She was foundation member of the Children's Centre Committee and Playground Committee, as well as Treasurer of UWA during the project's formative years. Edith also contributed to the academic life of the University as a scholar in languages and literature and her first Nigerian female professor.

The African Children's Literature Research Collection developed from the committee's practice of acquiring a second copy of every African children's book they could find. As a result, the library houses a valuable collection of Nigerian and other African children's books, consulted by numerous scholars and students over the years.

Students and staff of the Parkside School in the United Kingdom raised 931 pounds sterling for the Children's Centre in response to the Silver Jubilee appeal. The mover behind the fundraising drive was art teacher Sue Ubagu, who conducted vacation art activities for the Children's Centre in the 1980s, when she was resident in Nsukka. The money is being used to initiate computerization of the Centre, providing computer equipment for library use and a desktop publishing unit for producing reading and learning materials with local content.

PULA donates to school and prison libraries
(see Outreach , Schools and Prison Library)