By BiancaIboma-Emefu
The Life Support Foundation in partnership with Jesus Extended Hands,recently organised free annual medical outreach for widows, in Ojodu communityand it’s environs.
•Cross section of widows, beneficiaries at the event
The programme designed to provide sustainable physical, mental, andemotional health care for the overall wellbeing of about 800 beneficiaries alsooffers general consultation/treatment, eye care, test and screening with theprovision of eyeglasses, de tests blood and physiotherapy services, medicationsdispensary and trauma management.
The Founder of the organisation, Rev. Dr. Edith Mpamugo, said:“Access to quality healthcare should be a basic human right. And, in keepingwith God’s divine mandate to cater for widows, the foundation has remainedcommitted to making a difference in their lives.
“Apart from the medical outreach, we decided to have a Christmas partyfor the widows by giving each of them, a cash donation of 10,000 and food forthem to celebrate the season of love with our token.
“Like most of our initiatives, we recognise that a programme is vitalfor curbing the health challenges and trauma experienced by widows, theirchildren, and orphans as a result of the cultural mistreatment they face.
“The foundation has also offered a comprehensive health careservice to ensure that the beneficiaries receive the care and support theyneed for a healthy and fulfilling life.”
According to Mpamugo, the organisation equally takes care of lessprivilege children, and the orphans in the community, by providing them with essentialhealth care services.
“There are children that are on scholarship catered for by the organisation.Although we started this initiative after God almighty inspired me to set upthe foundation, while we were both serving ministers in Assemblies of GodChurch, but now we have retired, we are still engaging in a lifetime supportfor widows.”
The Convener encourages well-meaning Nigerians to continue to partner thefoundation to provide other services, as to work together to create a brighterfuture for widows, children, and orphans.
“In keeping with its vision of promoting widows’ rights and attaining amore equitable society for Nigerian widows, my family and certain individualshave been very supportive.”
The co-founder, Rev. Isaac Mpamugo said the foundation was committed toeradicating eye-related issues and high blood pressure for women.
He said part of what they are doing is the government responsibility buthave been able to support the government by contributing in the little way, especiallyin areas where government have not really felt their impacts.
“The women were examined by doctors and equally given drugs, eyesglasses to boost their vision and a walking aid for some of them havingdifficulty with movement.”
He said it was part of the foundation’s responsibility to assist theindigent people to have access to free and qualitative medical care and assistthem and have done this since 1993.
“This is one of our yearly programmes. We have a team of medicalexperts, from Jesus Extended Hands, who provided resources like cash, drugs andfree medical services.
“After examining each patient, they give them drugs and eyes glasses forfree. We are equally interested in eye-related issues and high bloodpressure cases.
“We have eyes glasses and we have drugs. We also gave them food. Webelieve that food is very important to everybody, especially those who are notfeeling well.”
He appealed to the state government to support Ojodu widows and the lessprivilege ones especially those roaming the streets while also adding that thegovernment can partner with organisations to transform them positively.