1st September, 2015
Funsho Arogundade
Nigerian-born British award-winning actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and David Oyelowo are to be honoured for their philanthropic support of health and education initiatives in their shared homeland of Nigeria.
The two acclaimed actors -Ejiofor and Oyelowo- will be honoured by the GEANCO Foundation at its annual Impact Africa Hollywood fundraiser on Monday, 21 September, holding at Sunset Gower Studios, Los Angeles, United States.
Oscar-nominated Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Emmy-nominated Oyelowo (Selma) will bag GEANCO’s Global Promise Award in recognition of their commitment to providing better educational opportunities for young children in Nigeria.
The annual Impact Africa Hollywood fundraiser is organised to raise awareness and increase support for vulnerable women and children in Nigeria.
Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Brightland Academy in southeast Nigeria and the Girls’ Government Science School in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Specifically, donations will pay for computers and educational supplies for teachers and students, including books, paper, pencils and notebooks, clothing and a wide variety of medicine for the schools’ in-house clinics.
Donations will also underwrite medical care and mental health support for young girls brutalized by the terrorist group Boko Haram.
“We are thrilled to honour two men who have given back in such a profound way to our shared homeland of Nigeria and who are such exemplary ambassadors of The GEANCO Foundation,” said Afam Onyema, GEANCO’s Co-Founder and COO.
He added: “Thanks to the generosity of the Los Angeles community and the support of our celebrity honorees and co-hosts, we will have the funds necessary to reach many more vulnerable communities in Nigeria and impact thousands of lives for the better.”
In addition to honoring Ejiofor and Oyelowo, the Gala will be co-hosted by Marcellus Wiley (Host of ESPN television show SportsNation and ESPN radio show Max & Marcellus), Mark Johnson (Oscar- and Emmy-winning Producer of Breaking Bad and Rain Main), Warren Moon (NFL Hall of Fame quarterback) and Billy Ray (Oscar-nominated writer of Captain Phillips and The Hunger Games; Director of The Secret in Their Eyes).
The GEANCO Foundation is an LA-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the health and educational needs of vulnerable women and children in Nigeria through surgical missions, medical and educational supply donations, and through a special Clinton Global Initiative anaemia screening programme.
GEANCO is also developing a world-class, solar-powered hospital in Nigeria.