My name is Chima Ibeneche. I am the originator of Chima Ibeneche Education Scheme.

I was born in a rural village, grew up living in thatched houses, sleeping on straw mats spread on mud floor and walking up to 2 kilometres to fetch water from streams. My primary and secondary education were in rural schools with no running water or electricity. I studied engineering in a university set among the rolling hills of Nsukka, remote from bridges, factories, or mines.  Yet I was blessed with excellent quality education that enabled me to compete successfully in the world.

After obtaining my engineering degree from University of Nigeria Nsukka, I was employed in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry as an engineer and rose through the ranks to join the Senior Executive Cadre of Royal Dutch Shell employees. My education enabled me to compete successfully in this internationally competitive industry, and to get opportunities for work experience in Nigeria and Europe. At the peak of my career, I was on the board of Shell Petroleum Development company of Nigeria (SPDC); became the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and production  Company(SNEPCo), and retired from the industry when I was Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nigeria LNG Ltd.

I believe that every child growing up in the rural area has the right to be equipped, through education, to compete in the world. Every child has the right to compete for opportunities like the ones I have had. I believe that good education that affords opportunities to be grounded in Critical Thinking, Science and Mathematics are the key ingredients in unlocking the potential of every child, especially the rural child who is often left behind by her city counterparts.

This is my motivation in setting up the Chima Ibeneche Education Scheme – to provide access to such an education to the rural child.