From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
A nongovernmental organisation (NGO), NoorHayat Foundation, has called on philanthropists to extend support to needy mothers and children in their communities.
The foundation which distributed essential care packages to new mothers at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital and Our Lady of Fatimah, Jaleyemi Hospital, Osogbo, noted that some mothers find it difficult to provide basic needs for their new born babies.
The foundation’s founder, Zainab Adetunji, who spoke to journalists in Osogbo, yesterday, appealed to wealthy people in the society to extend care to the mothers and new born babies.
She said: “We have noticed that many mothers, especially in the developing communities, are having issues when it comes to having essential packs for their children.
“We extend our hands of fellowship to ensure that those children do not suffer basic care needs.
“We take them out of that situation. We’ve had cases, we’ve seen children, we’ve seen mothers that suffer. Why have this money and you cannot impact lives? So, the best thing is, whatever little thing you feel you have, the little you give to them, will put a smile on their faces. As the name of our foundation goes, Noorhayat means light of hope. We’re giving light and hope to both mothers and their children.”
She disclosed that the foundation had supported over 300 mothers with essential care packages worth N50,000 each in less than three years of its establishment.
She said: “There are some cases that are not palatable, some cases made us cry today.
“We are here in Osun. We have gone to Our Lady of Fatimah and now at Osun State University Teaching Hospital. We met patients, and we were able to extend our hands of fellowship and love to them.
“We have also been to Gwagwalada and Kubwa General Hospitals, Keffi Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and the General Hospital in Keffi. The cases there were not encouraging. It was in keffi that we met babies that were malnourished. We have met babies that had lost their parents.
“So, I want to use this as a medium to encourage the wealthy people to support mothers and children. The little you do will go a long way to help these young ones and their families.
“Our pack at Noorahayat foundation costs nothing less than N50,000. A pack of N50,000 can go a long way in putting a smile on the faces of people, even if it is an outreach that you do.
“Noorahayat foundation is just barely two months or three months’ away, established in April. And what we’ve done, we’ve imparted over 300 mothers just within that period.”
In their separate commendations, the Chief Medical Director, Dr Babatunde Afolabi through the Head of Corporate Affairs Department, UniOsun Teaching Hospital and Head of Administration at Our Lady of Fatimah, Rev. Father Simeon Oyetumbi, described the gesture as a good step worthy of emulation by others in the society.