Dame Wuraolami Williams is the Founder of Impact and Inspire Wuraolami Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that caters for the less privileged. In this interview by BOLA BADMUS, the London- based philanthropist speaks on what motivated her to award scholarships up to university level to some students of the Social Correctional Center for Girls in Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos. Excerpts:
What motivated you to do this kind of project that caters to the needs of the less-privileged in the society?
The suffering I went through in life… it was a very bad experience. I went through a lot while growing up and it got to a stage in my life that I nearly gave up. I prayed to God that if he should give me a second chance, I would look after the youth and be a good example, a good role model for them and I would delight in myself to put smiles on people’s faces.
You said the students found it difficult to interact and that that was part of the reasons you organised a lecture for them. What do you think could be the reason?
We actually organised the lecture for the less-privileged. Like I said, it was a case of inequality. We wanted to give them that sense of belonging. We wanted to show that if the same opportunity is given to both the minority and the majority unconditionally, they can all do better. We organised the event at the Sheraton; I purposely chose that venue in order to let them see that there is nothing in there and to give them that sense of belonging. Yes, it cost us a lot, but we didn’t mind. We invited professionals from the Diaspora; the children were literally studying them and that was how we realised that 75-80 per cent of them were not confident. I think that was their first time of going somewhere like that. It was so shocking; they lacked sense of belonging and confidence. So we now evaluated the whole thing and considered having a continuous assessment. We came together and agreed it was better for us in order to boost their self-confidence and self-awareness and give them that reassurance that this place they are right now is not the end of their life. They can be as normal youths at the end of the event.
A salon was unveiled during the event by wife of Lagos State governor, how much did it cost to put that in place?
All we can say is that it cost a lot of money to put that in place.
Who are the beneficiaries of the 14 scholarships you gave to?
During the event, we realised that we have brilliant students amongst them that are exceptional. Instead of us limiting them, we on the board of Impact and Inspire Initiative agreed that we can take them to the other side; this is so they know that the life they are living now is not the end. We are organising what we call ‘Part of the Empire’, where we would adopt them and give them that love most of them are lacking in their individual families. We want to show them unconditional love and maybe, from there, we can take them abroad. The fact that we are an international initiative, these children can benefit from the NGO.
These are only girls, what about boys?
We are working with both boys and girls. There was a programme we held for those at Boys Correctional Centre on 14th of February, last year. The boys were also at the event that held at Sheraton Hotels as well. So we worked together. To be honest, we actually planned for both girls and boys, but along the line, I think the girls’ centres were more active, so we changed the whole plan. Maybe by December we can move to the Boys Correctional Centre.
What is the current population of the beneficiaries?
The girls are 60 because we merged them with another home while the boys are over 100.
Assessing the impact of the NGO on the student, do you think you are making progress?
To be honest, yes, we are achieving our aim. It’s not about me alone but my team and I are really achieving our aim. On the first Saturday of November, we are going to have another fantastic programme for them. We are trying to turn the main centre to a computer room for the students to have access to their individual computers. If we are not achieving our aim, we would not be encouraged to do more. I remember the third day of this summer lecture, some of the students broke down, they were crying. They were confessing that they had never seen such a thing before. Parents just keep dumping their children at the correctional home. When they come around, we counsel them, now they feel free to come to the correctional center to check on their children. Look at the parents who were even ashamed of their children before, and as a result dumped them here, now they are coming back. This is an achievement for us. For their parents to be coming to the correctional centre to celebrate with them, is an achievement for us. We are really very happy.
How did we as a country get to this stage?
Okay, it’s a very simple analogy. What we need to do is that individuals should accept responsibility. I have said that we know that our governments are not doing perfectly well, there is always a need for change for our government. We can’t leave everything to them. I am an individual, I don’t have any connection in the governor’s office. I came from London, I challenge them. I go online, I did a research about Nigeria and I got all this information. So, if individuals can do this, touching one, reaching one, we will have a better Nigeria. We need to stop selfishness, where one person will want to have the whole world, forgetting that there is always a limit to what they can have in life. So if we can share this with our neighbours, with our family, and be selfless, that way, we will have a better Nigeria.
I left my children over there, I left my family, and I left everything in London to come here. This is my second time now in this year. The other time I came, I had to change my ticket twice to meet with the first lady of Lagos State, and it cost me a lot of money to do that, but I never got to see her. That did not get me disappointed or discouraged and I left. And I came back again because I am not doing it for any political gain but to support the good work of the state government.
How do you source for funds with which you do all these things, do you get money from other organisations or you spend only your income for the projects?
That’s a deep question because I am an international person and due to my profession over there, which I would not like to talk about, we are not getting any fund for now from the government. Like I said, Impact and Inspire is an international initiative and I believe that answers it all.
What message do you have for parents in this regard?
My message to parents is that all parents should keep it simple. I make bold to say that our parents should be more considerate, they should be accessible. If you critically look at the Nigerian culture, it’s too harsh on these children. Most of the children do not have an effective relationship with their parents. You see most of our fathers, they are lions at home, and mothers are lionesses at home. Taking myself for example, my children can call me ‘oh! Babe, how are you?’ ‘How are you doing?’ ‘Mum, I saw whatever…’ That should not deny them parental care. They should be friendlier, humble, forgiving to their children regardless of the situation. I saw a child of about 11 years old at the correctional centre and I wept. I wept… 11-year-old? What is she doing here, where are the parents? I am not judging anybody. So I want all our parents to be more accessible, to be more friendly and forgiving. If God can forgive us, we should not find it difficult to forgive our children and love them. That will change a lot of things in our families.
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