Air Peace Grants Scholarship to Underserved Students of KNOSK School, Donates Laptops for ICT Centre
In a remarkable act of corporate social responsibility, Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, has made a transformational donation to the KNOSK (Knowledge, Skill and Kreativity) 100NairaADay Secondary School in Kuje, Abuja – becoming the first major Nigerian corporate organisation to support the institution since its establishment.
Founded in 2019 with 30 pioneer students, KNOSK now serves more than 180 children, many of them from families unable to afford even the symbolic N100 daily tuition. Despite its financial struggles, the school has achieved outstanding academic results, including a 100 per cent pass rate in its first WAEC sitting and several students scoring above 200 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
One of its most inspiring successes is a female student who was once at risk of early marriage at age 14 but later emerged as the school’s best science student with multiple distinctions in WAEC.
For years, KNOSK had sought corporate support without success – an unbroken jinx that Air Peace has now shattered.
Air Peace’s intervention came at a decisive time as Nigeria transitions to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for major examinations. KNOSK urgently needed laptops to prepare its students for this digital shift. The airline’s donation allowed the school to acquire enough systems to begin establishing a functional CBT centre.
Representing the airline, Communications Analyst, Hawa Oyinloye Alege, expressed deep admiration for the students’ resilience.
“We are so, so proud to support this project – a place where determination, hope, and hard work are persistent; where despite the challenges the children have, their dreams have not been held back. We look forward to seeing them achieve great and amazing things in the future,” she said.
In addition to the ICT equipment, Air Peace also funded one-year scholarships for 20 students – an invaluable relief for families unable to afford the N240,000 annual school fee.
SS3 student, Patience Omuata, voiced her appreciation on behalf of her peers: “It really means a lot to us because our parents might not be able to afford the school fees, and you have given it to 20 children with goodness of heart. On behalf of the students here at KNOSK, Mr Allen Onyema, I want to say may God continue to bless him and keep him. Thank you sir for being a father to people like us.”
Another student, SS1 learner Vivian Odizwe, emphasised the urgent impact of the new laptops:
“Seeing that there is a high probability that next year, WAEC will be CBT, the school needed 40 laptops and you have given us more to reach that number. With this, we can practise, write our exams, and learn other digital skills. We appreciate it so much.”
Cofounder of the school, Mr Kingsley Bangwell, underscored the importance of Air Peace’s gesture: “We have received support from the embassies of Ireland, Finland, and the United States. But we had never seen a major Nigerian corporate body step forward, and we are glad that Air Peace has broken that notion. Their donation is not only financial support; it is also validation.”
He added that the school has witnessed impressive academic transformations: “These children came in struggling to read and write. Today we have distinctions, 200+ JAMB scores, and transformed lives. Air Peace has become part of their story.”
Mrs Irene Bangwell, cofounder and director, described Air Peace Chairman, Mr Allen Onyema, as a symbol of courage and a model for the children, praising his reputation as one of Nigeria’s boldest entrepreneurs – an example she believes will inspire students to embrace courage and take meaningful risks.
Air Peace’s latest intervention aligns with its long-standing record of humanitarian service – ranging from evacuating stranded Nigerians abroad to supporting vulnerable communities across the country.
In May, the airline partnered with Raising Star Africa to support children living with disabilities through education, essential resources, financial grants, and on-site encouragement, as part of the ‘This Ability’ programme.
With its latest contribution to KNOSK, Air Peace has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusion, compassion, and national development. Beyond providing laptops and scholarships, the airline has given many children a renewed sense of hope – instilling the confidence to believe that their dreams are valid and attainable.
Air Peace’s groundbreaking gesture has not only changed the trajectory of a school but has strengthened the future of hundreds of young Nigerians whose lives, ambitions, and prospects are now brighter.
