Emmanuel Hope Foundation (EHF) has charged children living with disability to see hope and potential in their condition as they go through life.
The members of the foundation and their resource persons made this charge on Sunday in Ibadan during an event tagged ‘Back to school palliative care’ organised for people, especially children, living with diverse disabilities.
A member of the foundation’s board of trustees, Mrs Olubumni Joseph, spoke about the vision and mission of the foundation.
Joseph said that the foundation, founded in 2022, has been assisting children living with intellectual disabilities with their education and basic needs. She added that the foundation also assists widows with basic support to make life and living easy for them.
“We also organise poverty alleviation programmes aimed at improving the quality of lives of widows and the payment of school fees of disabled children,” she said.
Founder and CEO of the foundation, Mrs Abiola Popoola, stressed that they are passionate about giving hope to the hopeless, adding that there is no one ─ irrespective of their situation ─ is out of the sight of God.
Popoola stated that everyone has one form of disability, that it depends on how they decide to look at it.
She urged the children not to think that this was how they were born and that is how they will continue to be, and also not to think that they do not fit into the mainstream society.
“Do not allow your situation to discourage you or limit your thinking. God changes situations and rewrites stories, and you also fit into God’s plan and programme,” she told the children.
Pastor Lawal of the Deeper Life Bible Church tilted his speech ‘Divine Helper’. While encouraging the children and women, he said that there is no one ─ no matter how small or great ─ that does not need help or intervention from someone else.
Lawal stated that God is always with people with special needs and has a way of visiting them with divine help that takes away shame, want, and scarcity.
In light of this, the pastor appreciated the foundation for the work it is doing in the lives of children and widows with special needs and also encouraged them to continue with its good work for the betterment of society.
“Blessed is he that considers the poor. God has laid it in the hands of the owners of this foundation to help the poor and they will receive God’s blessings in doing so,” the pastor added.
The founder of Oziyerei Ojirogbe Foundation, Mrs Bolaji Alatishe, commended EHF for remembering the underprivileged in society and for the care and support extended to them.
Alatishe stressed that education is the key to unlocking life’s potential and that everybody deserves access to quality education, regardless of their health or social status.
She told the children that their disability does not mean inability, and that they are capable, strong, and talented individuals who deserve success.
She urged the children to embrace their internal strength, ask for help when the need arises, and never give up on their dreams.
“Inclusion is not only about physical accessibility but also about creating a supportive and welcoming environment. Together, let us break barriers and empower individuals with disabilities to reach their full potential,” she said.
The executive director of Galilee Foundation, Dr Gregory Eigbadon; a trustee of EHF, Mrs Folasade Osisanya; and Mrs Victoria Bamidele prayed for the children and for their parents and caregivers.
According to Olubumni Joseph, the items donated to the children were food, school bags, and exercise books. For the widows, foodstuffs and other items were given to them.
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