•Charity group in a surprise visit, spreads love, joy to inmates of Imo home
From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
There was infectious joy at the premises of Widows, Orphans, Destitute Care Centre in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, at the weekend as unusual visitors came to the place.
A team from Fly Dragon International Media Culture Group paid the children in the home a surprise visit with lots of goodies, including food items such as bags of beans, rice, noodles, vegetable oil, pastries, garri and other staple foods.
The visitors journeyed several miles from Enugu to extend love to the children who were visibly elated to receive them with warm embrace and singsong.
Settling in their seats, the expectant children watched with admiration as the items were being unloaded from a truck. They could not hold their excitement- they clapped their hands and sang different praise songs.
Executive Director of the centre, Mrs Stella Egeonu, soon explained why the children were overjoyed to see the members of the foundation.
She said: “You people have met our needs, I was telling my CEO before she left that you people work in spirit, the beans we had finished, they had to buy akamu of two thousand naira yesterday and behold see all the things you have brought today in large quantity.
“We never expected this and we don’t know how to show our appreciation but from the depth of our heart, we’re thanking this foundation, may the good Lord bless you in Jesus’ name.”
What also amazed the children and their caregivers was the quantity of the food items brought for them. With a population of over 100, the kids and the other inmates can boast of good meals for some weeks.
“I was also telling my secretary, that when you look at these children that are here, you will think that we hired them from outside, but they’re all from here; it’s not even all of them that are here now. For remembering us, may He continue to provide for you in Jesus’ name!
“There was one of them that had not eaten before you came, I asked him if he had eaten and he said no. I looked at the time, it was 12 O’clock, I quickly called the caregiver to look for food for him but with all these foodstuffs you have provided, they will all eat and be satisfied and you too shall never lack,” Egeonu prayed.
The group recently kickstarted visitations to orphanages and charity homes with the facility run by the Red Cross at the Old University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, where it splashed food items, toiletries and cash gift on the inmates.
Ambassador of the foundation in Nigeria, Amaka Oligo explained that it has always been their passion to reach out to the needy in the society, stressing that God was their motivation.
She disclosed that many less privileged in the society have benefitted from their benevolence including widows and pregnant women.
Oligo said: ” A year ago, Fly Dragon came to this land with a vision, today we’re proud that hundreds of thousands of families in Nigeria have improved their lives because of our Foundation. This is not just a number but hundreds of thousands of smiling faces, hundreds of thousands of hopes and hundreds of thousands of futures that are becoming better from creating jobs and improving services from technology empowerment to resource support.
“We believe that the true value of a company lies not on business achievements but how much positive impact you can bring to the society. Recently we donated materials and funds to a local orphanage hoping to bring worth and hope to the children, this good deed has been recognised by all sectors of the society and it has also made us more determined.”
However, she added that it is their prayer and desire for others to emulate the gesture. “We hope that through our own actions, we can inspire more companies to join public welfare and contribute to the development of children, vulnerable groups and communities in Nigeria,” Oligo enthused.
She revealed the organisation’s plans for the next ten years to include supporting education, medical care and infrastructure. “In the next ten years, on behalf of Fly, we solemnly promise to continue to invest in education, medical care and infrastructure construction in Nigeria, we would subsidise poor children’s education, improve the teaching environment and let knowledge change the state.”
She explained that Fly Dragon will support the construction of rural clinics, procure basic medical equipment and protect people’s health.
On infrastructure, she said the group will participate in community water, electricity, roads and other livelihood projects to improve the quality of lives of residents.
The management of Widows, Orphans and Destitute Care Centre, was filled with joy.
Chief Executive Officer and board chairman of Charismatic League Renewal Ministry, which runs the centre, Dr. Adeola Ilechukwu commended Fly Dragon’s team for coming to the rescue of the children.
“We’re very happy about what is happening today, this centre was established in 2011 or thereabouts, it’s actually a care centre and not just an orphanage, we do more than just serving as an orphanage because we take care of those margins of the society, we take care of people who need social help like teenage girls who get pregnant and rather than allow them abort their babies, we take them in and take good care of them, we counsel them and take them to Christ so that they will not continue with such lifestyle.
“So, we can’t forget what is happening here today, all the gift they have brought here today are very helpful to us especially knowing the situation of things in the country right now economically. You can see that there is a lot of challenges and apart from feeding the children in the home, we also send them to school, we have a high tuition bill on our table and for the babies and caregivers, we pay salary, that’s why I said it’s not just an orphanage, it’s a place where we take care of the spirit, soul and body of the children that are here. The event of today is a welcomed one, it gladdens us that such people will come from Enugu and other States to visit our home, we’re thankful and appreciative of this gesture,” Ilechukwu stated.
Also, 20-year-old inmate, Destiny Goodnews, who was brought there after being maltreated by her guardians, lauded the Fly Dragon team for their exceptional kindness.
“I’ve been in this orphanage home since I was ten years old, I was being maltreated so I reported it to my school teacher who then reported it to the police and in turn, the police informed the ministry of women affairs and that’s how they brought me here. I’m very happy since I came here and I’ve never seen love and affection as I have seen today. So, I pray that the good Lord continues to use the group to assist the needy like us,” Goodness said.
In appreciation of the kind gesture showered on the orphanage by Fly Dragon, the management of the centre gladly presented a certificate of commendation to the team.