The Mary Eriya House of Refuge Foundation in conjunction with Guildeans Community Development Foundation on Wednesday donated food items and beverages worth several thousands of naira to Jesus Kids Home For Children With Special Needs Foundation in Ibadan.
The foundation also donated cash and clothes to the Home located along Monatan- Iwo Road, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Items donated include, bags of foreign parboiled rice, yam floor, Semovita, yam tubers, potatoes and onions as well as beverages such as packets of golden morn and corn flakes, milk and a tin of Bournvita and Milo.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Foundation, Princess Adepeju Odunola Adeyemi, a nurse based in Republic of Ireland in the United Kingdom and daughter of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said the foundation’s mission is to support the less less privileged in the society.
Adeyemi who is also the grand daughter of Mrs Mary Eriya, a 92 years old nonagenarian and founder of Mary Eriya Foundation, said the donor has the passion and drive to always make life better for the less privileged especially, vulnerable children in the society.
“It is our mission statement that we are able to help out as much as we can and we are trying our best to see that we make life better for the people.”
She said the foundation which was berthed two years ago during the 90th birthday of the founder, have been able to make progress within the short period through the guidance of the Founder of Guildeans Community Development Foundation, Mr Adisa Adetoye adding that the foundation had made donations to maternity homes and schools and has been breaking grounds.
Adeyemi advised Nigerians who are blessed by God to develop the passion and drive and to channel their wealth towards assisting the less privileged in the society
She also advised anybody who wants get into charity organizations have the passion and drive for it and must be willing to help people.
In his remarks, the Country Director, Mary Eriya House of Refuge Foundation, Mr Adisa Kabiru Adetoye disclosed that the Jesus Kids Home For Children With Special Needs was picked as a beneficiary after need assessment was carried out by the Board.
Adetoye who is also the founder of Guildeans Community Development Foundation ,while calling on government at all levels to implement the UNESCO recommendation of 26 percent budgetary allocation to the education sector and also ensuring that monies allocated are used for the intended purposes , said the development will serve as a starting point towards addressing the plights of the less privileged.
“If not for interventions or initiatives like this, only God knows the kind of sufferings children in orphanages and other vulnerable children would have been going through” he noted adding that Nigeria not only has the highest number of vulnerable children in Africa but also one of the highest in the world.
In her response, the Founder, Jesus Kids Home For Children With Special Needs Foundation, Pastor (Mrs) Adamolekun Ololade appreciated the kind gesture
urging well to do Nigerians to take a cue from the Mary Eriya House of Refuge Foundation.