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Job Osazuwa
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Little Saints Orphanage, is celebrating 25 years of rehabilitating, reforming and reintegrating troubled children back to the society.
Making this known in Lagos, the founder of the orphanage, Reverend (Mrs.) Dele George, said the foundation, through education and talent development, has rescued hundreds of helpless children across religious and ethnic lines from pathetic situations.
She revealed that the orphanage, which was founded on June 4, 1994, was the first indigenous, non-governmental orphanage approved by the Lagos State government. She added that the centre had helped children to overcome their traumatic experiences, such as abandonment, rejection, abuse, as well as modern-day slavery.
George said: “Being the first private orphanage to be registered by the state government, Little Saints Orphanage has blazed the trail of institutional care for vulnerable children. With an outstanding network of support, excellent facilities, a dynamic team of social workers and caregivers, the orphanage has raised hundreds of children who have been able to defeat their negative childhood experiences and blossomed into young adults who are ready to make their mark in the world.
“We can also boast of having the highest number of children among other orphanages. The orphanage works in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, and the Ministry of Women Affairs in other states of operation on issues of adoption, care and protection.
“Having survived 25 years and still waxing stronger, we, therefore, urge all friends and donors to visit the orphanage located in Warri, Delta, Ibadan, Oyo, and Itele, Ogudu, Akowonjo and Abule-Egba in Lagos on June 14 to celebrate with the children.”
She said the NGO would not relent in building a better world that would be deprived of child abandonment, starvation, pain and suffering. To touch more lives, she called on kind-hearted Nigerians at home and abroad to join hands in the selfless service of putting smiles on the faces of the hopeless children. She urged people to partner with the home in sourcing education funding for the rescued children, furniture, home appliances, food and provisions and maintenance.
The founder said, besides ensuring the wellbeing of the children, the home also inculcates the word of God in them.
“At every fellowship, we study the word of God and serve Him in spirit and in truth. The word is powerful. This is a mandate from God for us to make sure that the children are God-fearing and become the adults who the society will be proud of,” she said.
She said the first objective was to take abandoned children off the streets and give them a befitting home: “The children and babies are rehabilitated under the most conducive atmosphere with unconditional love and excellent care. Our vision is capital-intensive because we initiate and build rehabilitation centres. Abused and abandoned children are brought into the mission through the police or Good Samaritans.
“The reformation is done through education and extracurricular activities. The mission is determined to help the children as far as they want to go in their academics. All our children go to schools located around the orphanage. At the moment, we have many of them in the universities.
“They are reintegrated into society through adoption and fostering to deserving and loving families. There is also reconciliation to extended family members. We work in collaboration with the State Ministry of youths, Sports and Social Development on fostering and adoption issues. In the beginning we appealed through the media for Nigerians to come forward to adopt but as at today the orphanage has a waiting list of adopters yearning for children.”
