Stationary Store and Printing Press for Tai Solarin Humanist School 

Members: Oluwarotimi Esther, Rahmat Gaffar, Maman Narayan Wushishi, Umuratu Sodiq, Balikis Wasiu, Sherifat Kabir, Danladi Lubaba

Email: saheeds731@gmail.com

Phone: +2347045382667

What does humanism mean to your group?

I became a humanist when I was 20 years old. As a former ex-Muslim and an Islamic- trained preacher, I discovered that Islam has many elements of irrational ideas and thoughts that are based on supposed revelations that promote hatred, classism, war, demonization of freethought, and free inquiry. I then renounce the religion, its God Allah, and Its teachings. As an independent researcher, I discovered humanism through books. Humanism more than any religious orientation or philosophy has made my life more accessible and beautiful.

Projects Description

Tai-Solarin Humanist School, located in Minna, Nigeria, was established to provide quality, secular, and inclusive education to children in our community, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. However, the school faces persistent financial challenges, including difficulties in paying teacher salaries, maintaining infrastructure, and covering basic school operational costs.

Many parents are unable to afford school fees, making it necessary for the school to find innovative and sustainable ways to generate income to ensure continued access to education for all students.

In response to this challenge, we propose to set up a stationery store and a small-scale printing press within one of the unused rooms on the school premises. This initiative will serve dual purposes:

1. Generate revenue to support the operational costs of the school.

2. Provide low-cost printing and educational materials to students and the surrounding community.

Project Goals and Objectives:

Goal:
 To establish a sustainable income-generating venture that supports the operations of Tai-Solarin Humanist School.

Objectives:

● To establish a functioning stationery and printing shop within the school premises.

● To generate monthly income that will be used to:

○ Pay teachers' salaries.

○ Provide scholarships for students whose parents cannot afford school fees.

○ Cover routine school maintenance and utilities.

We believe that this modest investment of $1,500 will go a long way in empowering Tai-Solarin Humanist School to become more financially independent, support its hardworking teachers, and ensure that no child is left behind due to economic hardship.

Budget - 

The total proposed budget for establishing the stationery store and printing press is $1,500. The breakdown is as follows:

● $150 will be used for setting up shelves, counters, and basic furniture to equip the store space.

● $400 will go toward the initial stock of essential stationery items, such as notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, files, and educational materials.

● $250 will be used to purchase a small desktop printer and scanner combo suitable for basic printing and photocopying tasks.  https://www.jumia.com.ng/canon-gm4050-multifunctional-mono-refillable-ink-tank-printer-with-adf-and-ethernet-354293813.html

● $100 is allocated for A4 printing paper, with plans to buy five cartons to ensure an adequate supply during the first few months.

● $100 will cover ink cartridges and toners for the printer, including both black-and-white and color options.

● $120 will be used to purchase a laminator and an initial supply of laminating sheets for ID cards, certificates, and student materials.

● $250 is allocated for a small-capacity generator (new or used) to provide power during outages, ensuring uninterrupted printing services.

● $50 will be spent on signage and branding materials to make the shop visible and appealing to the public.

● $80 will go toward supplies, including packaging materials, notebooks, clips, and basic shop tools.

This budget has been carefully designed to cover all startup needs while ensuring that the business can begin operations efficiently and sustainably.

Estimated Profit and Timeline of Project

● Week 1-2: Renovate the room, install shelves and furniture.

● Week 3: Procure equipment, stock, and materials.

● Week 4: Train one or two staff members on shop operation and printing processes.

● Month 2: Official launch of the stationery store and printing press.

Operations will run during and after school hours, and students will also have the opportunity to benefit from on-site services such as printing, laminating, and access to affordable school supplies.

Estimated Profit from the Stationery Store and Printing Press

The proposed stationery store and small-scale printing press at Tai-Solarin Humanist School is projected to generate a modest but sustainable monthly income. Based on a conservative estimate of daily sales, the store and press could bring in approximately $30 to $42 per day, depending on demand from students, teachers, and the local community.

Assuming an average daily income of $42 and 25 operational days per month, the gross monthly revenue would be around $1050. After deducting the cost of consumables such as paper, ink, restocking stationery, and minimal maintenance (estimated at $70–$100 monthly), the net profit is expected to range between $980 and $950 per month.

This profit will be reinvested in the school to help pay teachers’ salaries, provide scholarships for underprivileged students, and cover basic operational expenses. As awareness grows and services expand, such as offering digital printing or custom work, profit margins may increase further, making this project a vital pillar of financial support for the school.

Explain the Benefits to your Community 

This project will bring several important benefits to the community. First, it will improve access to educational materials by providing affordable school supplies locally, reducing the burden on families who often travel far to find such items.

Second, it will support underprivileged students by using profits from the store to fund scholarships and school fees, ensuring that no child is denied an education due to financial constraints.

Third, it will create employment and skill development opportunities for members of the community, including part-time jobs and hands-on experience in retail and printing services. Fourth, it will strengthen the local economy by sourcing supplies and offering services within the neighborhood, thereby keeping funds circulating locally. Finally, it will provide sustainable funding for quality education, helping cover teacher salaries and school expenses, and making the school more self-reliant in the long term.