“There is something you can do, no matter how little, help make a world of difference in the life of an orphan, by showing a little bit of love, a little care and giving a little support. In so doing, we can change our world. One person at a time.”
Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) –By Albert OGRAKA:
As the world mark this year’s Orphans Day set aside by the United Nations, Wife of the Delta State governor, Dame Edith Okowa, has put smiles on 41 orphanage homes and families across the state by providing them with food items and cash.
Speaking while delivering the items to the orphans on Monday, November 13, 2017, during this Year’s World Orphans Day held at the premises of her pet project, 05’ Initiative in Government House, Asaba, Dame Okowa, said, “This special day aims at drawing attention to the needs of orphans suffering from discrimination, violence, poverty, deprivation from education and to encourage the promotion of rights to a healthy and fulfilled life”.
She said the day should serve as reminder to society to actively participate and help to raise the awareness, support and funding for orphans as their situation has been constantly made relevant by the UN.
In a tear-laden speech, she said: “No one chooses to be an orphan, living without the care and love of parents can be traumatizing, sometimes these orphans stay without food, shelter, clothing and even health care”, she stressed, adding that orphans faces emotional stress and total rejection in the society.
She therefore, appealed to well meaning Deltans, concerned residents and corporate organizations to show support and regularly be reminded about the plight of orphans, who she said have been traumatized due to the emotional stress of constantly living without the care and love of parents.
The governor’s wife commended the partners of the 05 Initiative who have been involved in the provision of food and learning materials for registered orphanages as well as children adopted by the 05 initiative.
While enjoining care-givers and owners of orphanages in the state to imbibe acceptable standard in their activities by registering with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development , she encouraged them to handle the orphans with adequate care and constantly teach them the ways of the Lord.
According to her, “There is something you can do, no matter how little, help make a world of difference in the life of an orphan, by showing a little bit of love, a little care and giving a little support. In so doing, we can change our world. One person at a time.”
In her welcome address, the Director General, 05 Initiative and wife of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Kevwe Agas, said it is a day set aside by the UN to remember orphans, “to draw our attention that there a lot of children that are orphans as a result of wars and earthquakes”.
She said some of the children were orphans as a result of situations that were not their faults, “a day like this is a day for us to remember these children in orphanages that people have set their lives aside to ensure that they have a future”.
In his thought provoking exaltation, Pastor Olutosin Sedeinde sermonized from Lamentations 5: 3, James 1: 27, Deuteronomy 14:39 and Matthew 25: 32-40, saying that there is a Godly reward for this who support the less privileged, especially orphans.
He also called for the sensitization of members of the public through counseling, to desist from acts of abandoning children to orphanages.
Mrs. Pat Enechete, in her health talk, expounded on care-giving through physical, social, educational and spiritual means for effective child development and growth.
Speaking in an interview, the representative of St Barnabas Orphanage home, Cable Point, Oshimili South local government council, Christian Okonji, said the home was amazed at the sight of the items given to them.
Pastor Emmanuel Oletu, Children Revolutionary Foundation, Irri, Isoko South local government area, said the gifts given to his foundation is quite overwhelming, “God has positioned the wife of the governor to be there in order to make these food items available for the less privilege, is impactful”.
Mrs Ogbo Josephine of Kings Kids Compassion Home, Warri, said she was grateful to the governor’s wife who made herself an extension of God’s hands to them.
According to her, “it is a blessing to us because the eldest of the orphans has graduated from higher institution and has completed the one year NYSC while four others just got admission to higher institutions; we have been on for 25 years now”.
Mr Kenneth Imadiagben, who is presently taking care of four children belonging to late pastor Martins who died with his wife in an accident, said God would continue to bless Dame Okowa for putting smile on the faces of children.
On the challenges he faces in caring for the children, the pastor said, “all challenges have been taken care of by God because I believe solely in God. They are my children, whatever my children wear, that is what they wear.
Highpoint of the event was the special presentation of food items to 41 orphanages, drawn from the 25 local government areas of the state and three families.
Items distributed to the beneficiaries include bags of rice, garri and beans; tubers of yam, vegetable and palm oil; cartons of tomatoes, crayfishes and indomie among others.
Thirty eight registered orphanages and three families received food and cash donations.
The world orphans day is set aside by the United Nations on the second Monday of November each year to raise sympathy to the plight of orphans across the world.
Copyright © Blank NEWS Online.
All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce, publish, broadcast, rewrite or redistribute in whole or in part is only granted subject to appropriate credit being given to Blank NEWS Online as the source.
***Read Blank NEWS Online for regular news updates…Also like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter @blanknewsonlin1
Advertise in Blank NEWS Online.
Visit Us @:
www.blanknewsonline.wordpress.com
Email: blanknewsonline@ymail.com
Phone: +234 8037 644 337
Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) –
E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka
