By Ngozi Nwoke
Mrs. Sheri Adegbesan is the founder of Life Changers Foundation, LCF, a United Kingdom-based non-profit organization, with a branch in Nigeria called Life Changers Foundation Children’s Home.
Recently, they sponsored the end-of-term party for two schools: Mipamawu Children School and Mawumadoka Orphans & Less Privileged Home/School, Oko-Agbon, all in Makoko, Lagos.
Daily Sun spoke to her:
What is your organization all about?
Life Changers Foundation was founded in 2005. Our work transcends borders, as we have successfully supported over 2,000 individuals to access vocational skills training to attain meaningful employment to support their families. Other projects include free eye tests, cataract surgeries, and the distribution of glasses and pharmaceutical drugs to the less fortunate in Nigeria. The foundation also hosts what is dubbed ‘Give Back Weekend,’ where it supplies toiletries and household essentials every month to vulnerable individuals in Lagos and Ogun state Nigeria.
We do vocational training, hairdressing, tailoring, fashion designing, cake baking, insecticide, things to help people become more sustainable, that’s what we do, and free health checks too. But recently, it’s been on my heart to work with children. We are building our home in Ibeju Lekki.
Why did you choose Makoko?
Makoko community is dear to my heart; the people are doggedly committed to bettering their lives, seeking opportunities to succeed, and making a positive difference in the world. Even before meeting these wonderful children, I have heard of their resilience, courage and thirst for knowledge. We understand that everybody needs a push to get where they desire in life, therefore, Life Changers Foundation, decided that we would be one of the tools in God’s hands to bring succor to these children. We are all angels to someone,
There are these two amazing young men here today, committed, dedicated, humble, aspiring, kind and empathetic who are sold out to helping these children fulfill their destinies I came across the two founders of the schools on the water, they talked about their schools and I said we could actually support them, that’s why we are here, instead of just bringing the things to the school, we said let us celebrate these children for staying in school despite the harsh conditions, despite knowing that their parents don’t value education but somehow these children have stayed in school. I just thought it’s a good time to sponsor the end of the year party as well as use the opportunity to give them the gifts.
What compelled you to take this route in life?
From childhood, I have always loved community work. I would take food from my house and give people outside. My family kept wondering what was happening to their food in the house, but it’s just something that I have always done. I don’t have any poor life experiences, thankfully, I came from a privileged background. I attended good schools. My family all reside abroad but my passion for Nigeria draws me back home.
Makoko is a whole new experience even for an average Lagosian. What is the experience like?
My team had already come here to do a documentary and they told me about what Makoko looks like. So, I wasn’t shocked. And in a place like this, you have all kinds of people and, for the kind of work I do, I meet all kinds of people. Like when we came here, we were harassed by the area boys, I know what they want and I know how to deal with it because we are used to working with communities like this but not on the water. Maybe when I get to the water I will be more shocked but I haven’t been into the water yet.
You said that government needs to do something in Makoko. Could you outline the things you need government to do? Every environment has its own peculiar challenges, what do you think are the peculiar challenges here?
I am only interested in education; there are other complications here.
In education, where do you think the government can come in?
I think, in education, the government has adopted 130 children from Joshua’s School but I think they can do more because they’ve offered them sponsorship but there’s no documentation to show how long the sponsorship is for. They bought uniforms for them, bought them school shoes, these children will grow up, who will buy the next set of school shoes? Who will buy the next set of uniforms, if they are growing? So, I think when government wants to do something for communities like this, they should have it documented so that we can see that there’s continuity.
A lot of people come to Makoko to do things but there is no continuity, they feel that it is a one-off thing and they go, but the problem still remains. Now, if you want children to go to school on the land, why can’t the government find a way of meeting the community somewhere? I know the government cannot do everything. Giving them a bus that will take them from the water to school, that would encourage them. Why is the government not doing that? I don’t think the government is encouraging them enough considering that their parents are not that educated, you need a lot of orientation here. They must meet them now. The children that go to the school on the land, I heard that it costs them N400 fare every day. Tell me, Nigeria of nowadays, who can afford that? N400 everyday for transport alone? Now, I heard that the Federal Government said they are feeding children in school, but not in this community, they don’t get food, but now the parents have to give them money for food, maybe another N100 or N200 to N600 every day. So, tell me, Nigeria of today, in this community, some people have not eaten today, N600 every day coming out from someone who only sells fish. They will probably just want to stay at home. So, government needs to do more. Even if it’s going to feed the children in school, feed them, help ease the burden on these people. Don’t just tell us that you are doing it but the reality is that it is not being done.
Now, I am not putting you on the pedestal of the government but you said something about continuity. Is there going to be continuity?
We have given them school uniforms, we’ve given them school bags, I think we’ve given them enough to last them two years. Now, if they need anything, I am now part of the community, I will continue to do things every year in this community, not just for the children, the free eyeglasses, we bring them here, the free health checks, we do them here. I looked at the water when they did a documentary, they need to be taught how to take care of the waters, they urinate in this water, they drink the water, so there’s a lot we can do
Is it only Lagos that you are focused on or do you also go outside Lagos?
We worked in Ogun State during the pandemic, a lot of food that we gave out was in Ogun State. For one week straight, we were giving out to those who didn’t have a place to cook, we contracted one of the mama-put in the area that everybody was familiar with, we paid her a lump sum of money to carry on feeding people during the pandemic. We are going to Ondo State next. In Ondo State, we will be starting vocational training, where we are going to be doing hairdressing, tailoring, make-up and gele and all of that. We are not restricted to Makoko. Somebody just told us to come to Ibadan. So, it depends on where we are called. We will go.
What is your last word?
I want to appeal to the Nigerian government, let us do what we say we are going to do. Election is around the corner, people are expected to vote. It took me a lot of time to try and track down some of the honourable members; those who are representing this community were not easy to track down. It shouldn’t be like that. You are representing these people, show them that you love them, show that you care. If it was in my own constituency, maybe it would be different because they would support their child but when it comes to elections, they are going to come here and ask them to get their PVC and go vote. Imagine if we had some of those dignitaries here, they would understand the realities these people actually face.
I am grateful to those who came or sent representatives, which is good, but this is not an event that should be ignored. This is a community project and that is what they should stand for.
As a community-based NGO, how has the journey been?
We started in 2005. It’s been up and down. Sometimes we are low, sometimes we are up because we need money and we need support but right now I would say that God is faithful, because when God calls you into something, He will always back it up, whatever you need, He will provide it. He might not do it now but once you are content, He will surely do it.
Doing all these makes me happy, and seeing that the children are happy is what brings us joy. That’s what we stand for and that’s what we are looking for.
That is my satisfaction.