There is something about spending time with children that makes you look at ordinary things differently.
A school bag is no longer just a school bag when you see how excited a child is to receive one. A drawing means a little more when the person who made it is standing beside you, waiting to hear what you think. And a simple word of encouragement can mean more than you realise.
That feeling stayed with us after a visit to Red Cross Nursery & Primary School in Makoko last Friday, where Breet Cares joined the Nigerian Red Cross Society for a back-to-school outreach.
Breet Cares team unpacking the back-to-school items
Then things got interesting.
We wanted to spend time with the children and not let that day be just another distribution exercise where we hand over supplies, take a few pictures, and leave.
So, after distributing the school supplies across different classes, we settled in with the Primary 3 and Primary 4 students for a couple of activities.
With Primary 3, Lazbat led a sketching session. The children had the opportunity to draw, colour, and shade, and they took the assignment very seriously. There were some genuinely impressive little artists in the room; even Picasso would be surprised. By the time the judging began, it was clear that choosing five winners was not going to be as easy as we thought.
Students colouring their sketches
The five students with the best sketches received wristwatches and math sets, alongside the school supplies they had already received.
Then we moved on to Primary 4, where the pencils were replaced with questions.
Alex led a general knowledge session covering geography and other subjects, and the atmosphere changed almost immediately. Hands went up, answers came quickly, and every correct answer seemed to make the next person even more determined to get theirs right.
The top five students received smart wristwatches and Mathsets as well.
Breet Cares’ back-to-school books
The part that stayed with us
The prizes made the competition exciting, but the real joy was watching the children participate. Seeing them take pride in their drawings, put their hands up to answer questions, and cheer each other on made the afternoon feel like much more than a back-to-school visit.
Linda also spent time with the students, sharing words of encouragement and reminding them that where they are today does not have to determine where they end up tomorrow.
That is the kind of moment Breet Cares hopes to create.
More than a School Bag
Breet Cares is Breet’s nonprofit corporate social responsibility initiative, through which a portion of Breet’s transaction revenue goes towards supporting communities and causes that matter.
And while the school bags, books, bottles, and other supplies are an important part of that support, sometimes the most meaningful part is simply being present.
Breet Cares back-to-school bag
That became even clearer towards the end of the day, when some parents came over to personally thank the team for supporting their children.
It was a small moment, but it stayed with us.
Because giving back isn’t always about the biggest gesture. Sometimes, it is a child proudly showing you a drawing they just made. Sometimes, it is the excitement of receiving a new school bag. And sometimes, it is simply knowing that someone took the time to show up.
That Friday in Makoko, the children got a few things to make the new school term a little brighter.
Breet Cares team with the students
And we got a reminder of why showing up matters.
This is Breet Cares. We give back, we show up, and we keep finding ways to make a difference.
