The Society Outreach Project (SOP), a student-led club at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), demonstrated its commitment to community impact with an outreach program at Yola Prison on February 23, 2024.
The aim of the outreach was to offer a compassionate presence and serve as a reminder on the need for reflection on healthier behavior and life choices. The club donated sanitary and sport supplies to the inmates to promote hygiene and physical activities for their overall well-being.
President of the club, Abdullahi Isa Audu, a second year International Relations major, expressed the founding goals of the club “Though we don’t have all the resources at our disposal, we take our activities one step at a time to help others in need. Before now I usually like to stay in my comfort zone despite having the passion of reaching out to others, because I use to think a lot was involved. I did not have direct access to group of individuals with the same mindset, but AUN has given me friends and personalities who share the same perspective and run ideas concerning reaching out to others." He remarked
The AUN Assistant Director of Community Service, Mr. Ahmed Aliyu highlighted the university’s commitment to developing socially responsible students by instilling a deep understanding of the Multi-dimensional challenges facing the country and equipping them with the insight and skills needed to become effective agents of change in the future. He stressed the importance of providing students with firsthand experiences of challenges the society is faced with.
Members of the SOP club shared their impactful experiences, underlining the power of human connection that led them to bring joy, warmth, and hope to the inmates.
The gratitude expressed by the prison management underscored the importance of donations in meeting the needs of inmates and supporting their rehabilitation. The management pledged to remain dedicated stewards, acknowledging the ongoing work and recognizing that the gesture contributes significantly to addressing some of the challenges.
The inclusion of physical fitness equipment is deemed essential for inmates to fully benefit from rehabilitation, fostering improvement in both mental and physical well-being.
Report by Pwagreno Blessing Moris