Omobolaji Akinsanya, founder and visionary leader of Fruit of the Womb Support Foundation (FOTWSF) has revealed that his mission to help indigent families in overcoming the challenges of infertility through education, assisted fertility treatment funding, and contribution to fertility health research and innovation was the drive to create the foundation officially.
Speaking in a recent exclusive interview, the Sagamu-born prince, husband, and father of two revealed that his need to help indigent families stems from his belief that infertility is not restricted to the wealthy. “Our foundation, for instance, is targeted more at indigent families and that is because there are no exceptions when it comes to the issue of infertility, it could be anyone.
“The misconception is borne out of the fact that the rich have higher access to treatment. And because of the associated high cost, the poor will rather look to cheaper options or even be silent about their challenges, hence not much is heard from them,” he explained.
On the creation of the foundation, he said, “Fruit Of The Womb Support Foundation was inspired first by the love for children, especially babies. Beyond this, I have had a few close relationships with people who had infertility challenges and as such I was able to experience firsthand the despair, damage, unhappiness and frustration associated with infertility.
“Given my very traditional background, I see the family as the bedrock of societal change and growth, hence the interest in a cause that will not only bring to the world my favourite humans- babies but will also ensure that I, together with other like-minded individuals, restore hope and happiness to affected families.”
Continuing, he explained that though the foundation was formally incorporated this year, many families have been impacted.
According to him, “We are very intentional. From inception, we already knew what the ideology behind the foundation is, there has never been any confusion. So armed with this information, we went for a name that wouldn’t just be catchy but something that introduces us and tells our story even before we had a chance to, it saves time.
“Also, considering that FOTWSF has been a lifestyle platform long before it was legally incorporated, our success rate recorded over the years has been near 100% and this has been largely because beyond partnering with the best hands in the field, our support system is very personalised to suit individual needs. So, while it costs more, we most often are guaranteed good results.”
Akinsanya further revealed that among other things, the criteria for selection is simple and centred around needs. “It is very important to us that our resources go to supporting those in actual need without evident capacity to help themselves. A few but not an exhaustive list of what we look out for are a stable family, Medical history, financial status,” he shared.
While calling for support from the government and individuals, he stated, “At the beginning, our activities were funded solely out of pocket, but it was not easy. However, as with every charitable organisation, we have so far had a few interested persons who, having seen what we have done in the past, put in their bit and this has been a huge relief. We look forward to more for a wider reach and greater impact.
“For the government, there needs to be more education and the right infrastructure for treatment. We need the right kind of sensitisation as a society, to see infertility as a medical condition needing treatment just like every other health concern and not necessarily as a weapon of stigmatisation.
“Also, families concerned must be armed with the right kind of information as this will help them to take necessary actions when required. Medical experts in the field should be encouraged towards research and development, this will lead to innovation and potentially a higher success rate.”
Speaking e explained, “Infertility and its causes is a very delicate as well diverse topic. This is because as humans, we are unique even though there may be some medical similarities. That said, causes of infertility may be as little as not taking enough rest as well as being as significant as a hormonal or medical inconsistency. That is why at FOTWSF, we expect anything and we work with the best hands to explore all possibilities even before we proceed with actual treatment.
“One touching story I have seen that gives me a great sense of accomplishment was that of a former employee who had already lost a first marriage to the challenges of infertility and was about to lose the second when I came into the picture. Thankfully, the intervention proved successful and today the family has been restored and they are doing well.
A banking and finance graduate from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Akinsanya’s resolve to give every couple the chance to experience parenthood also stems from his experiences as a husband and a father The Fruit of the Womb Support Foundation is to foster a more inclusive society, one that affords every couple the chance to experience the happiness of parenthood.
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