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By Vivian Onyebukwa
In a gesture of compassion and community service, the Esther Child’s Right Foundation brought much-needed relief and advocacy to over 500 residents of Egbeda community in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State recently. The outreach, which included medical assistance, guidance and counselling, and human rights advocacy, marked yet another milestone in the foundation’s 13-year commitment to serving the underprivileged and voiceless in the society.
Held in an open space to accommodate a large turnout in Egbeda, the event featured blood pressure screening, free medication and distribution of clothes. Volunteers moved round the neighbourhood, distributing over one thousand flyers to ensure that as many residents as possible benefitted from the outreach.
Ambassador Esther Obioma Ekwem, founder and chief executive officer of Esther Child’s Right Foundation, said the organization was birthed out of a passion to address the rising cases of domestic violence, rape, child abuse and general injustices that often go unaddressed in low-income communities: “Esther Child’s Right Foundation was established in 2012, and since then, we’ve provided support to over 6,000 individuals in Nigeria and beyond. We realized that many people are suffering in silence, abused, neglected and mistreated, without anyone to fight for them. That’s why we became a voice for the voiceless.”
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According to Ekwem, the foundation began it’s work with grassroots awareness campaign in health centres, markets, and community gathering spaces, but almost hampered by finance, but the passion to help people, especially victims of abuse, kept the organisation going.
She passionately appealed to the federal government, Lagos State government, individuals, organizations, parastatals and religious institutions to support NGOs like hers to continue the work on care and giving a voice to the voiceless. “What we do here is not about money, it’s about justice, health, and dignity for people who have been forgotten,” she added.
Recalling some of their challenges and successes, she maintained that the organisation was all about giving a voice to the unheard. “Every month,
we’re moving from one community to another, giving medical help, raising awareness, and fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. We don’t want to stop at this. We are planning to build an orphanage too. Many of the cases we handle involve children who are abandoned or have nowhere safe to stay. Our mission is not about us, it’s about the people. It’s about building a just and caring society where everyone, no matter how poor or marginalized, knows that someone is willing to fight for them,” she stated.
One of the beneficiaries, Ngozi Okonkwo, lauded the organisers for their care and support towards the needy.
Another person, Janet Bassey, could not hide her feelings while expressing joy after receiving free medical treatment by the organisation. She testified how often she had benefited from the organisation, and expressed gratitude for their kind gesture.
