The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos Chapter, has demonstrated its commitment to empowering female engineering students by donating and installing a 1.5KVA solar system, a 1.5hp solar pump, and five solar street lights at the female Engineering student’s hostel of the Lagos State University (LASU), Epe campus.
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, APWEN Lagos Chapter invested over N5 million in purchasing the equipment to address the challenge of erratic electricity power supply faced by students. The initiative aims to provide a conducive learning environment, encourage uninterrupted study sessions, and promote resourcefulness among the students.
Chairman of APWEN Lagos Chapter, Atinuke Owolabi, emphasized the importance of enhancing the learning environment for female engineering students to excel academically. She highlighted the association’s mission to equip and support the female engineering students, recognizing their potential as the future of the country.
The donation includes ultra-modern single crank beds, bedside cabinets, mattresses, pillows, bed sheets, blood pressure monitoring devices, baby weight machines, and baby cribs. Four street lights will be installed strategically in the female hostel, while one will support the male hostel.
Owolabi reiterated APWEN’s commitment to supporting female engineering students across institutions in Lagos State, addressing their challenges, and promoting renewable energy. She also revealed engagement with the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources to address the students’ plight, including plans for an emergency intervention of a mini-grid for the university campus.
Prof. Elkanah Oyetunji, Head of Campus at LASU Epe, expressed gratitude for APWEN’s donation, emphasizing its complementarity to the university’s efforts in creating solar-powered resource centers. He solicited more support from APWEN and other organizations to improve the campus infrastructure further.
In response, a LASU Coordinator of APWEN and a 500-level Mechanical Engineering student, Ms. Rebecca Kehinde, thanked APWEN for addressing a major challenge faced by students, expressing excitement and hope for more development initiatives.