RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S used books head for Nigeria

Randall Elementary School recently donated used books to a good cause -- in a very roundabout way.

During its open house in September it had some used and slightly new books available for all of the families attending. After the event there were still had approximately three boxes of books leftover. A parent asked what we were going to do with them.

Most of the time the school gives students an opportunity to take them home. Or teachers will place them in their classrooms. Randall always has people donating books. The parent asked if we would be willing to donate them.

Below is the information from Mr. Eric Uzochukwu, who received those books:

Where the books are going? The books were meant for the primary school in my own town where I grew up. Community Primary School Nkwe is located in Nkwe (community), Enugu (state) in Nigeria. This school is a feeder to a community secondary school in the same Nkwe community, they are located about three kilometers apart.


When the books will be sent? I am still sourcing for some more books and school materials, which will be send along with the books collected from your school. At the same time, I’m saving some money to cover the cost of shipping them to Nigeria.

Brief Introduction: My name is Amobi Eric Uzochukwu and I am a citizen of United States, originally from Nigeria. I came to Michigan about 18 years ago and moved to Taylor from Detroit in 2004. I have been living in the city since then. I am also a father of two students at Randall Elementary School.

My recent visit back to Nigeria this summer took me back to a community I grew up in and the primary school I attended as a child. The the level of dilapidation I met the school was shocking. It would be hard to believe for an outsider, but not to me, knowing that schools around there need some help in terms of basic materials.

What left me in shock was the extent of decay in this particular school, which needs rescue in every aspect. There were no sign of textbooks anywhere in the school, there were cracks on the classroom walls, potholes in the classroom floors, and no chairs for pupils to seat while receiving lessons.

I started by donating 15 bench-type chairs that can contain about 60 students and I am still looking for ways to help out in other way7s if opportunity presents itself in the future. This is an attempt to alleviate the suffering of the little students growing up in this area of Nigeria.

Everyone at Randall Elementary School would like to thank Mr. Uzochukwu for taking the initiative to think of children in need of books. 

NOTE: Talking Taylor Schools found these photos of Enugu-area school students online, and they serve to underscore the problems that Uzochukwu witnessed when he returned to Nigeria.