Commemorating Orphan day, to put smiles on the countenances of children, primarily the less privileged, Giving Living Foundation, Christian Alliance For Orphans (CAFO) and Divine Heritage Children’s Centre united to heighten empathy.
A specially packaged family and community-based care outreach for orphan and vulnerable households, the program addresses persons with broken dreams, broken relationships, failed plans, misery trauma, tragedy or bitter consequence amongst other forms of obstacles.
Featuring games, motivational messages, cutting of the cake, prayer sessions and provision of relief items etc, the undertaking weighed the act of charity, tenderness and benevolence at its peak.
The psychosocial and counselling session dated the 26th of November 2022, provided a seasoned Psychologist, Dr Oni Temitope to elucidate the theme; Better Together: Exchanging Your Brokenness For Wholeness.
With parents also present as guests at the Divine Heritage Children’s Centre (where the gathering was activated), the event significantly ushered in the yuletide season into the mindset of attendees.
According to Mrs Ebun Idowu, Founder, of Divine Heritage Children’s Centre, “Yearly, we look at reaching the vulnerable and orphans in the community, it is a tradition for us every November to show love and care”.
“This is the second outing we’re having this month, we came back to base after facilitating a similar course like this in offin at Oreta road in Igbogbo”.
She continued, “There we brought children together and reached out to them with food drinks and clothes items, providing relief materials to them, and praying for them, the idea is basically to show love, letting the kids know that they’re not forgotten, because God cares for them”.
“Also, we did something different this year by inviting a psychologist to join the program and engage the children on the importance of not giving up, no matter the background, upbringing and life trajectory”.
“The main focus of the teaching is to enlighten them on not losing hope regardless of their prevailing circumstances and abandoned internal crises”.
“We made them understand that their future is great and God will see them through all situations (using our numerous life experiences as a case study)”.
She further explained that despite the situation in the country, their advocacy is to keep the children concentrated on accomplishing their dreams.
Explaining that the foundation cannot achieve the course all alone, Mrs Ebun told Ikorodu News Network (INN) that they are open to influential Nigerians, competent to join the course of putting smiles on the faces of children to get on board.
“We’re calling on all men and women of great substance to come out and be a voice to the voiceless in the community through our foundation”.
“Let us come and share joy and happiness this season, let us stand by them to be encouraged, and letting them know that they are not alone means we have to work together”.
“The environment is vast and only one organisation cannot do it, that’s why we’re trusting God to get more capable supportive individuals to join us, so we can reach out to more children in need” Mrs Ebun asserted.
Emphasising her role in the session, Dr Oni Temitope, a counselling psychologist who runs a sound mind therapeutic clinic, told INN that she operates a program on Radio designed to educate teens and youths.
According to her, the session is motivational to uplift the children from living hopelessly.
She explained, “Due to some issues the children have had in time past, they’re overwhelmed with the mindset that they can not make it in life. But my job is to make them feel like things can only get better after trials and tribulations as long as they don’t give up”.
“I engaged them in the power of positivity, never relenting in forging ahead. No matter what crises brought them to the orphanage home, if their emotion can stay on the optimistic side, then definitely they’ll become great”.
She expanded that her discourse is meant to give the kids and even their parents the reassurance that only good things can happen if they don’t give up on themselves.
On the latter, Evangelist Helen Anyadike connected the children via the theme of Bible, before praying for everyone in attendance.
The program culminated with the cutting of the cake by orphans and the presentation of relief items to the children.
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