How corps member made a mark on his host community
For the people of Old Netim Community in Akampka Local Government Area of Cross River State, Moses Stephen Teru, who just rounded up his national service under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was heaven-sent. His yearlong service made an impact on their community in a way that will make it indelible in their minds for years to come.
Teru, who is one of the Batch C Stream 1 corps members posted to Cross River State in October 2018, took one of the problems of his host community on his shoulders and solved it as part of his personal Community Development Services (CDS).
As a graduate of Zoology, Teru was posted to the Community Secondary School, Old Netim, Akamkpa LGA as place of his primary assignment. His key responsibility in the school was to serve as Chemistry and Biology teacher.
But he ended up doing more than that for the community. He used his skill as a trained carpenter to produce class room desks, benches and tables for over 80 students and pupils in the Community Secondary School and the St. George’s Primary School. He also built shelves for the Community Health Centre, all in Old Netim community.
Teru said that right from their camping days, “We were encouraged to identify problems wherever we were posted. That of this school was very glaring when I came in. I made a list of things that are not there. This is the one that my hand can reach because I have the skill and the community has the resources – that is wood. So we were able to produce these furniture for them.”
According to the project he submitted to the state coordinator of the NYSC in Cross River State, Teru said the idea of providing the furniture to the schools was to improve the students’ comfort and make their classrooms conducive for learning, while the shelves at the health centre was to allow for better arrangement of medical files and other documents as well as proper storage of drugs and medical equipment.
He said the project, which was put together between June and August this year, cost N59,000. The furniture produced consist of 30 desks for Community Secondary School, five tables and five benches for St. Georges Primary School as well as three shelves for the Community Health Center. While the community provided funds for the transportation of materials and other things, Teru provided the expertise.
Community appreciates gesture
Speaking during the commissioning of the projects last week, the State Coordinator of NYSC Cross River State, Mr. Eddy Megwa, commended Teru for using his skills and selflessness to the development of his host community. He said Teru’s has caught the interest of the Federal Government, adding that in a matter of days, Teru will be going to Abuja with him for a bigger celebration and award of honours.
The State Coordinator also described Teru as “Corps Member extraordinaire” and urged other Corps Members to follow his footprints.
Also speaking, the Principal of Old Netim Community Secondary School Mr. Emmanuel Eni appreciated the State Coordinator and his entourage for dimming it fit to come honor them. He equally thanked and prayed for Moses Teru describing him as a blessing to them for “picking students from the floor to comfortable seats.”
He pleaded with the government to come to the aid of the school. The principal lamented that the students are learning in dilapidated building and there is no lavatory in the school. “So the students sneak into the bushes or empty dilapidated class rooms to defecate.”
The principal also appealed to the State Coordinator to continually give them able and capable Corps Members stating that the teachers they have are not enough, and so they rely on Corps Members.
Furthermore, an interview with an SS1 student Wisdom Odey has revealed the great love the school students and the community has for Corps Members especially Moses Teru.
‘For charity, I’ve not even started’
Teru also attributed the success of the project to the support from the Old Netim community in Akamkpa, the school principal Emmanuel Eni, and motivations from NYSC staff including his inspector Mr Ubong Effanga, friends, and colleagues at his place of primary assignment.
“I strongly doubt the possibility of carrying out this project if I had no carpentry skills. Skills acquisition is of paramount importance to the Nigerian youths – it empowers,” he added.
Teru said his dream business is to build a multi-service rendering company with nationwide network and beyond, where skilled youths can get employed to provide services in all the various vocations such as carpentry, tailoring, metal work (welding), laundry and dry-cleaning, car wash and maintenance, events management, photography, ICT, dish installation, electrical wiring, tiling, painting, catering, just any skill.
“After all the stress, there is no greater satisfaction than the one you get when you make a difference. There is always room to make positive
impact anywhere. No matter how little, never leave without contributing your quota. And for charity, I’ve not even started,” he said.
Biography
Daily Trust reports that Moses Stephen Teru was born on November 5, 1993 to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Moses Vandu in Jos, Plateau State. But he originally hails from Mukula village, Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State. He is the last out six children in his family. He attended Pam Private School Jos, Plateau State for nursery education in 1997. He had his primary education in Catholic Biblical Movement (CBM) Primary school Jos, from 2001 to 2006.
Teru attended his secondary school at St. Murumber College Jos, from 20062012. He participated in many interschool competitions and brought glory to his school. He served as school prefect and graduated as one of best of his set with West African Secondary School Certificate (WASSCE) in 2012. Teru started learning carpentry from his primary school days at G&G furniture where he used to go to learn after school and during holidays.
In 2014, he gained admission to study Zoology in University of Jos and graduated with a B.Sc. Second Class (upper division) in 2018. After being mobilized for national service, Teru obeyed the clarion call and reported at the NYSC orientation camp in Obubra L.G.A Cross River State.
He actively participated in camp activities and led his platoon to victory in several competitions. At his place of primary assignment, Teru, with the help of his colleagues, introduced clubs activities, quiz and debate competitions in the school. Teru was elected as the president of the Educational and Mass Literacy CDS group, Old Netim, Akamkpa. As the president, he led the group to carry out sensitisation exercise on Drug Abuse in schools and sanitation exercises in the community streets.