|
| SAVE A LIFE: ZEBRA CROSSING PROJECT |
 |
Shine your eyes, Shadow well” is a popular phrase any Lagos passenger will be familiar with. Lagos is a city characterized by the hustle and bustle of its inhabitants and busy motorists who pay little attention to pedestrians navigating their way across the constantly busy roads, posing a huge challenge to road users.
This has been the plight of pedestrians who daily utilize PWD Bus Stop, along Ikeja - Oshodi Expressway. Inspired by the lessons learnt from the Leadership, Ethics and Civics Programme, students of State Senior High School embarked on “Save A Life” project, which is designed to protect pedestrians from impatient and sometimes reckless drivers at PWD Bus Stop.“We have lost count of the number of lives that have been lost on that road, even one of our teachers, lost her son to a ghastly motor accident” says Mrs. Ighodaro, a LEC teacher at State High School, Ikeja.
To achieve their aim, the students partnered with the Nigeria Airforce Base, Ikeja and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and through their support, the students championed the painting of a Zebra Crossing at PWD Road Bus Stop on November 21, 2009. Information Leaflets were also distributed to educate motorist on the need to obey traffic rules and the importance of Zebra Crossings. Presently, LASTMA officials are stationed at the bust stop during peak hours to coordinate proper usage of the Zebra Crossing.
Commencement of change initiatives such as “Save a Life”, is an important component of the Leadership, Ethics and Civics (LEC) Programme, which is designed to equip SS1 students with leadership and life skills required to deal with life's challenges and make positive contributions to the development of their communities. Successfully introduced by LEAP in August 2008, the programme has reached two thousand five hundred and sixty-two (2562) students in nine (9) select public schools in Anambra, Lagos and Ogun States.
Building on the success of the pilot, LEAP has commenced the second phase of the LEC programme in fifteen (15) additional schools (Five schools each from Anambra, Lagos and Ogun) reaching seven thousand and sixty-two (7,062) students over the two-year period. It is estimated that the students would have positively impacted fourteen thousand, six hundred and fifty (14,650) lives by 2010.
The initiative which is funded by Nokia and supported by the International Youth Foundation is being implemented by with the support of the State Ministries of Education in Anambra, Lagos and Ogun States.
|
|
|
