The Indomie Independence Day Awards (IIDA) which kicked off on the 1st of August 2020 is in the thick of its search for child heroes across Nigeria.
Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Nigeria’s number one noodles brand, Indomie Instant Noodles had earlier announced the commencement of the 13th edition of its corporate social responsibility initiative: Indomie Independence Day Awards. And since then, several entries detailing the heroics of extraordinary children have poured in.
IIDA is a national award event that identifies, celebrates, and rewards the exemplary accomplishments of children who have shown uncommon courage and determination in precarious situations. The award encourages excellence and diligence in children.
Group Public Relations and Events Manager Dufil Prima Foods, Mr Tope Ashiwaju noted that the ongoing field search exercise will end by the end of September, 2020.
According to him, “This year’s edition of the award will mark the 13th year of the noble initiative which has impacted the lives of many Nigerian children. In typical fashion, three winners will be rewarded with one million naira worth of scholarship each from three award categories: physical, social, and intellectual bravery.”
The physical bravery category will acknowledge kids who saved lives or by their actions prevented extensive damage to property or others at great personal risk. The social bravery category will celebrate kids who work against social evils such as child marriage, illiteracy, and environmental concerns in a sustained manner, while the intellectual bravery category will recognise children with innate intellect who have performed remarkably well despite their physical, mental, emotional or financial limitations.
The search exercise explores various locations in the country to gather true stories about heroic children who are 15 years and under; who have at one time or the other performed exceptional acts of bravery and heroism.
The initiative, Ashiwaju said, is in line with the core values and deep-rooted beliefs of the company, adding that, “Every child possesses an innate ability to achieve greatness. This is something we develop and encourage as a brand even during this Covid-19 period.”
Other methods of submission include online—through Indomie’s dedicated website: www.heroesofnigeria.com, social media platforms, and email addresses—calls to designated phone lines, and hand delivery of letters at the project office.
So far, IIDA has produced a total of 42 winners who were rewarded with scholarships worth several millions of naira.
The award of scholarship grants has helped winners overcome certain financial constraints that may have adversely affected their educational pursuits and life goals.
