Every quarter, GlobalGiving presents us with a great opportunity for a timely reflection on our work. This is so necessary in this day and age, when everyone seems to be rushing ahead, often forgetting their original target and direction, and getting bogged down by the demands of living in a modern world. We find this timely reflection needful and empowering, as we are often encouraged by what we have been able to do in the months past, and are motivated to keep steering on the right course!
So as we reflect, we write to you about what has transpired over the last three months. This time last year, our report was quite mighty, as we had so much to say due to the amount of traffic we received at the Home over Christmas! Then, we had a house full of kids too, and people coming around almost daily to make their Christmas wonderful. This year, it was a more quite Christmas. With no children residing, our focus was outward to those reconciled and also to those yet to be rescued and rehabilitated from the life of a street child.
VISITS TO THE RECONCILED BOYS
We are continually following up on the children we have reconciled, through phone calls and visits. Sometimes, there is a need to visit all the children in a month for varied needs (often due to educational support, e.g. in September), and other months, like November and January, the visits are fewer because things are more settled, and visits are usually just to provide some added support (especially in cases of crisis). Our visits around November and January were mostly to assist the boys resitting their WAEC examinations with registration to schools as external candidates for 2014.
At Christmas time, we made a point of visiting all the past reconciled boys from 2012 and 2013, to wish them a MERRY CHRISTMAS with provisions of food and clothing. We made ten of these Special Christmas visits to various locations in Lagos State, Oyo State (Ibadan) and Ondo State! We couldn’t make it down to Anambra State, where one of our formerly reconciled boys now stays with his Aunty. All our visits were warmly received and appreciated, and we extend the greetings of the boys and their families to you all!
Apart from these visits, we needed to pay Mark and his family a special visit to assist them with a challenge to their business and home life. We had learnt from our communications with Mark’s father that their main business of selling drinks, which we had supported with a deep freezer and some provisions in October, was still struggling due to the infrequent and unstable supply of electricity in their locality. Steady power supply is still a challenge in Nigeria, but some areas have it much worse than others.
We discussed the possibility of getting them a small generator to help the situation, but concluded that it would also lead to dwindling funds for the family, as they would need to put profits into fuelling the generator constantly! Mark’s mother suggested that we help by getting them connected to power supply in their home, which had better power supply than at the shop. They had not been set up to receive power all this time, and it would only cost a little bit for us to help. They were keen to relocate the deep freezer to their home to keep their provisions cool for resale. We thought it was a great opportunity to help them at home and with their business, so easily agreed, and paid for their home to be connected to power, which they very much appreciated!
We also made a necessary visit to Andrew’s father’s place, after we had learnt from Andrew’s mother that he had been making no effort to support his children, despite his participation in our reconciliation sessions for Andrew (while he was still with us). We counselled him again on the importance of being a ‘present’ parent, and caring for his children, so that they don’t feel neglected and make uninformed choices (like running away), which will impact their lives forever. We were much encouraged by the outcome of this visit, as we soon learnt, from Andrew’s mother, that his father had come with provisions for the children! We also learnt that he gave them spending money for clothes at Christmas. We hope that he will keep up this supportive behaviour.
THE OUTREACH PROGRAMME
Our visits to the streets to locate new children in need of support started early in December. Ayo and Ifeoma (our Support Worker and Social Worker) lead this outreach and were occasionally accompanied by volunteers. We revisited the places that we’d visited before in 2012, when we last performed this exercise, such as Kuramo (which is now closed down, but the nearby Bar Beach has become the new ‘hotspot’ for runaway children), Mushin, Oshodi and some other local beaches. As usual, it took a while to break in and get the children to engage with us, but eventually, we began to get some positive responses from them.
There was a particular day that Ayo and Ifeoma were directed by one of the older boys to a new locality near Mushin, where a lot of the young ones now hangout. Their report of this finding was quite shocking to us, though we were quite familiar with the delinquencies street life affords the children. We learnt that in this particular place, “anything goes”, and even among the children who were drinking and getting high on drugs were representatives of the Government, in the form of police officers, among them…doing quite the same thing! It was a heart breaking revelation to see that those who should be controlling the spread of such vices were themselves entrenched in it.
As was our practice, we invited the children whom we had completed a ‘Child Data Form’ for, to visit our Centre for respite from the street and further assessments, and support towards reconciliation. One of the boys we saw at Oshodi was ‘Lemar’. We had seen Lemar last year while on outreach, but he had missed his chance to be among the children we took in by his indecision to leave the streets. He responded to our invitation to visit again, and invited his friends too. However, he still appears to be undecided about leaving the streets, as is the case with a number of his friends. This means that our outreach will need to be persistent and assertive to get through to them.
‘Joshua’ and ‘Kevin’ are two examples of children who have taken to the streets, and do not see their need for rescue. Joshua’s case is particularly heart-breaking because his situation was brought about by an opportunistic family member who deceived his parents to permit Joshua to come down to Lagos and work as his apprentice. However, he was abusive to Joshua, neglecting even his basic need for food. When Joshua came to the Centre, it was just his second day on the streets! However, when advised to make a trip back home to his family, with our support, his response was that he was not yet ready!
During his assessment, Kevin had said that he lived with his mother at Oshodi. This was concerning to us, as it would mean that he wasn’t really in the same situation as the others, and by letting him come to the Centre with the others, he would eventually end up breaking away from home altogether. We quickly decided that we needed to verify his story, and also consult with his mother to learn whether or not she knew that her child was spending his days as a ‘street child’. Ifeoma decided to accompany him back to Oshodi to see his mother one day, but by the time they got there, he became anxious and was reluctant for her to accompany him home. So we were unable to meet his mother (or verify his account), and unfortunately, we haven’t seen Kevin since that day…
For them, and a lot of the other children, visiting our Centre is nice because they get to use the showers, wash their clothes, get a nap, have two nutritious meals, play with their friends away from the heat of the sun, and use our recreational facilities (including access to the computer). They are also supported with literacy and numeracy classes, facilitated by Ayo. We also have new tutors coming in to teach them computer skills and arts and crafts on Fridays. We are happy when the children come, no matter the reason, because every visit is an opportunity to break new ground in their lives, as we often counsel them, and are able to learn more about them in order to assist.
Apart from the Open Days (Wednesdays, Fridays and Last Saturday of the Month), particular boys are invited back on Tuesdays or Thursdays for special counselling sessions and a chance to go on a home trace. They often honour their invitations for counselling, and enjoy an extra day at the Centre. However, none have been ready for a home tracing exercise so far. Despite the challenges, we are hopeful that we will have positive stories of reconciliation to recount in our next report. Getting the child to agree to a home tracing is one thing, but the greater challenge of reconciliation still awaits us, when families are contacted and bridges need to be mended!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM EACH MONTH
The major highlight from November was the FLA Mentoring and Befriending Consultation we held at the Home to include the contributions of eager friends who have longed to volunteer their time and skills in helping the children. It was really a long time overdue, and we were pleased with the response we received from our supporters who took the time to participate. One of our Corporate partners, LAFARGE, sent a number of their representatives from their ‘Friends of the Community’ (FOC) initiative, as they were eager to lend their support in a practical way.
Our major highlight from December (apart from the joyous celebration of Christmas) was the news we received from the Lagos State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development (MYSSD). We had begun our registration with them in 2012, but the process had been a slow one. We eventually got our probationary approval in March 2013. On December 6th, we got our official letter stating that we are FULLY approved by them now! It may not seem so exciting to you, but for us, it is quite an achievement, as we have since learnt that Fair Life Africa Foundation is the first NGO to be FULLY approved by the Ministry in Lagos!
In January, Fair Life Africa marked its THIRD year of operation as a humanitarian organisation! We splurged a little this year and got a small celebration cake, which we cut and shared with the children who attended the Home on Friday the 10th! We also received support in physical and cash donations from friends and well-wishers to mark the day. Rume Kragha, who also celebrated his birthday earlier in the month, came around with his friends and many gifts to share! We are so glad to have marked another year, and as we reflect back, we know that we would not be here without the amazing support from our friends. THANK YOU so much for your support, which has brought us this far!
We hope that you have been well informed and inspired by this reflective report. We know that it is important to you that your funds are well used, and we would like to assure you that they are! Please continue to support our work so that we will be able to take in more boys in September 2014, and provide assertive outreach to those we are meeting now. Please WATCH our new video - 'Memory Lane (Life as we never knew it could be...)' to learn about the kind of support the children receive while resident at the CCC Respite Home. We welcome your donations, and invite you to consider making a recurring donation to us each month! A generous sponsor is matching the recurring donations we receive via our project page, which is a great incentive!
However, before you hasten to give right away… You should know that in just a few days, on February 12th, GlobalGiving.org is giving you a rare opportunity to multiply your impact. They promise to match by 30% (up to $1000 per donation) every donation received on our PROJECT PAGE on that day from 9am (EDT)/3pm (WAT)/2pm (GMT)! Please visit our OFFICIAL BLOG to know more about this opportunity, and get ready to make your contribution go further. God bless you all as you give. Here’s wishing you a lovely Valentine’s Day too. Until next time, have a good one!
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Hi there… Greetings from Lagos, Nigeria, from all the FLA Team. The last three months have swiftly passed us by, and we are happy to write to you once again. In this quarter, we celebrated landmarks in our own development, as well as in the children's. The joy of such milestones is the reward of the diligent and faithful. Those who give up when the going gets tough do not share in the spoils of the victorious! So we are hopeful that these milestones will serve as reminders, as we persist in doing good.
In August, the Team took a much needed break, though we continued to visit the boys we reconciled to their homes in July. We also used this time to research schools for the boys continuing their education, and enrolled the three SS3 graduates to their various vocational courses. August was also the month we assisted Charles (from the 2012 set) and his family to secure a new accommodation, as they received notice in June that they would need to find somewhere else, because the Landlord had need for the property. We are pleased that they are now settled in their new place, which is still close enough to Charles school and his step-mother’s business, which was revived last year with our support.
In September, we enrolled three of the boys into schools in Ibadan and Ondo State, where they now stay with their families. DOAM Foundation partnered with us to support the boys in Ibadan, and accompanied us on one of our trips as we located schools for them. Ifeoma and Ayo, our Social Worker and Support Worker made two trips to see Adam in Ondo state, and had to stay overnight each time. They helped the family resolve conflict with their neighbours, while also supporting Adam to enrol into a new school. They later went to mark Adam’s two month’s stay at home with gifts and provisions for his family. We also provided three of the children’s families (Peter, Andrew and Mark) in need of business support with some financial assistance to boost their small businesses, which we hope will enable them to become more financially stable.
Unfortunately, two of the boys that were reconciled home are no longer with their families, despite the support we offered. A boy who was reconciled with his grandmother in August chose to run back days later, even though we have provided them with a new accommodation and some funds for his grandma to continue her small business. The second boy who ran away did so after he sat entrance exams at his new school, and was discouraged about his results. Pre-empting a negative response from his family, he ran away before anyone could suspect. Fortunately for him, he was found by the Lagos State Ministry officials, and is now being looked after in their Correctional Facility.
We marked two months for all the boys still at home from September 26th to Oct 1st, as a way of encouraging them, and reassuring them of our commitment to their growth and stability. We went with food provisions and gifts for each child, as well as a photo-album that captured their experiences while at the FLA Respite Home. Of all the gifts we brought, the children all loved the photo-album the best! Nishola, one of our Support Workers, wrote up an account of one of these visits we made on October 1st to Mark’s place. Mark is one of the boys whose case studies we have not yet featured on our blog, but which we reported in our Brochure for our Official Launching in October. His father was so appreciative of the support we gave his family that he wrote us an appreciation email, which we shared on the blog too.
Apart from these social care follow ups, we also planned and held our Official Launching Ceremony as a non-profit organisation in October. We invited many friends, supporters and well wishes, and prepared a documentary, and an informative brochure to capture the intricate details of our very practical work. The event was also to raise funding to enable us to repeat the Respite Programme with a new set of boys in 2014. We did not take in a new set of children this September, as we have been inadequately funded to do so. We also plan on using the opportunity to restrategise and develop the programme so that it is more effective the next time around. Our Launch held successfully and was financially backed by Airtel Nigeria and Lafarge Cement WAPCO. Standard Alliance Insurance and Standard Alliance Life Assurance also sponsored the programme generously, amongst others.
I’ll close this report with Nishola’s contribution, which is her reflection of our joint trip to visit Mark and his family. We hope you are inspired by what you read. Thanks for all your support… Please keep it coming! Have a wonderful November and happy Christmas celebrations too!
October 1st of every year is set aside to celebrate the independence of Nigeria. On this day of 2013, I and the CEO of Fair Life Africa Foundation, Mrs. Ashogbon, decided to take a trip to see the Kennedys, to celebrate Mark Kennedy’s two months back home. Though it was two days late, we felt the euphoria of independence would make it merrier, and what a memorable trip it turned out to be.
We went straight to have a look at the Kennedy’s shop which Fair Life Africa Foundation just gave funds to be restored after months of it going under, and surprisingly, stocks were already gotten and displayed in the shop. The new deep freezer that was gotten for the family too was in the shop, ready to be used for business.
After we looked around, and took some pictures, the four of us then headed for the Kennedy’s home, not too far from their shop, to see Mark who had a day break from the computer college we enrolled him in after he got back home due to the independence celebration.
As the car approached the house, it was evident that Mark and his four younger siblings were already awaiting our arrival. Immediately they heard a car approaching, they all stepped out of the house to see who it was, and how joyful they got to see that we had finally arrived.
We all sat down on the floor on the rug, in the sitting area of the incomplete building the family lives in, and talked about how life has been since Mark returned back home; his challenges, what has been difficult for him and the hurdles he has been able to cross with ease.
Mrs. Ashogbon asked his parent that “what’s been good since Mark came back home to them” and his parents could not stop counting. His mums said it’s been a great joy to have her son back home, according to her even though the period they had to search for him on the street was a very difficult one for the whole family, still she is grateful to God, because she knows everything in life happens for a reason.
Apart from this, she said that she is really glad to have her son back, a better person than before he left home for the streets, and she prays that God continues to help him remain the better person that he has become through Fair Life Africa Foundation’s rehabilitation programme.
She said that when she needs help, Mark does not wait for her to call twice, he shows her more respect, he is completely obedient and listens to corrections without grumbling. He doesn’t make friends with anyone his parents do not approve of and he is highly considerate of his younger siblings, as they are of him.
His dad too said if they were asked to continue, they could go on forever. When they were asked what’s not too good since their son returned home, they thought deep and long but could not come up with a single response. According to them, he’s been so good they pray every day that he remains the same and continues to become a better person as each day passes.
Mr. Kennedy confesses that his major fear is his financial problems, because he knows that his incapability to fend for his family’s daily needs could tear it apart, but with the business support from Fair Life Africa Foundation, he is willing to work hard so that his family will not suffer anymore. He hopefully wishes that Mark will do well in the next WAEC, GCE and NECO examination he is waiting to write, because to see his son further his education to the higher institution will complete his joy.
Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy expressed great gratitude to the organization for everything they did and are still doing for their family. They were very hospitable, and they gave us lots of soft drinks. The Kennedys are people with great hope for the future and hopefully with the right support and help, they will have the better future they look forward to.
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Many of us have heard the tale of the ‘Prodigal Son’ as recorded in Bible. We all know the lesson well. The bottom line is – the Father forgives and receives his child who returns home, even after all he had squandered away.
However, many wonder if this type of forgiveness is possible in real life. Are real fathers able to forgive and embrace a child who may have stolen from them, lied about them, ruined their business and their name, and take that child back believing that he can, or even HAS, changed? Is it really possible to get a second chance?
This is a story for those who believe in second chances. This is a story for those who understand that forgiveness is not based on the measure of wrongs, but on the goodness of the heart that forgives. That is why we can all forgive anyone, and we can all get a second chance. However, this version of ‘The Prodigal Son’ has two parties who need to give and to receive forgiveness…
John is a 15 year old boy from Oyo state, Nigeria. He is the only child of his parents, but has step-siblings. John’s father married two wives, but his mother left their home when he was still quite young. We met John at a Police Shelter, where he was being looked after as a lost child, after he had spent some time on the street working for a woman at Oshodi, in Lagos. Fair Life Africa intervened by taking him along on a home tracing excursion.
On this trip, we located his father in Ibadan. At that time (September 2012), neither of them was ready to be reconciled. John’s father complained that this was not the first time that John had run away from home, and he couldn’t understand his behaviour. John’s initial story was that he did not intentionally leave home, but had lost the money that he was given to go for an errand. The truth was that he had lost the money for his return trip, but when someone offered him bus fare to go down to Lagos, he chose to follow the other child rather than to return home. He said that he was afraid that he would be flogged by his father for returning so late, which was an expected outcome.
John became a resident at the Respite Home in September, with the expectation that in time, he would be ready to return home to his father. He was enrolled into a primary school, despite his age, because his educational standard was low. While at the Home, he also attended group and one to one counselling sessions with our social worker, which he participated well in and he has shown significant progress emotionally.
John proved himself to be hardworking and generally well behaved. He derives joy from impressing people around him and loves to be noticed and acknowledged. He has improved considerably in hygiene, as he takes care of himself and his space well. He also does chores assigned to him happily without grumbling and often offers a helping hand. Academically, John was one of the top scorers in his class (3rd place), and showed that he had potential, but needs someone to encourage and guide him to apply himself.
Efforts to reconcile father and child commenced early, with regular phone calls and invitations to his family to visit the Home. In terms of distance and finance, it was a challenge for them, but they were encouraged by our persistence and honoured our invitation to attend our Christmas Party. After that, they visited again, and the process of reconciliation was well underway…
Most of the boys were initially sceptical about the idea of returning home, but soon, it was the ‘in-thing’. Once a child’s family visited the Home, they all wanted the same experience. And so, John longed for his chance to go home and spend the weekend with his family, after Derek (another child we wrote about) enjoyed this opportunity. Not long after, John also went home for the weekend, and then a few weeks later, he enjoyed a long Easter break with his family in Ibadan.
We are pleased to report that after ten months at our Home, the reconciliatory process with John and his family has been a successful one. John’s father came twice in July to the Home, as the time for the return of his child drew near. He came first to attend a final meeting and assessment session, where he and John were both counselled on how to approach their relationship moving forward. The father was counselled to adopt alternatives methods of disciplining his child, which will not cause him to be afraid of him, but to draw near to him in times of trouble. John was also reminded that running away would not solve his problem, and that his story could have ended very badly, like many of the cases of children who live on the streets and come to untimely death.
On the 27th of July, John’s father was among the parents who attended our Leaving Party for the boys graduating from our programme. We were not sure if he would come, given that he had already come just over a week before, and money and distance were obstacles for his family, but we were sure glad to see him! The boys performed a drama for their families, which illustrated the lessons they had learnt from their time of ‘prodigal’ behaviour. The CEO’s message also re-affirmed each parent's need to make the sacrifice and come. She recounted how well the Father had celebrated the return of His child, and compelled all that indeed there is a reason for us to celebrate now. Rather than focusing on what was lost (time, money, resources, friends etc), we should focus on what was gained and has been restored. Read The Leaving Party report.
Peter, Derek, James, Andrew and Mark's families were also around on the 27th to take their children Home, and shared their testimonies during the ceremony. Simon and Thomas returned home the following week, as Simon's family was unable to make it down, and we needed to stabilise Thomas's living conditions before he returned home. Peter's families also received aid from Fair Life Africa Foundation, which enabled his family to rent a new and better suited accommodation.
John and his father left the Respite Home after the ceremony for Ibadan, loaded up with gifts and provisions. We are sure that we won’t find John on the street again. We can testify that he has changed, and we believe also that his father has changed too. Thank you for your support which enabled this miracle of reconciliation. Read up on other inspiring stories of the FLA Kids at www.fairlifeafricablog.com.
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The last three months have been as eventful as the ones past, and even more so, as we move closer to the conclusion of our programme with the set of boys we took in last September. We are reminded daily not to judge a book by its cover, as we are amazed everyday by the changes in the children. It really is true that anything is possible 'when you believe'. Our partnership becomes a success when they start to believe in themselves too.
Most of our boys took the opportunity to go home for one weekend, to reconnect with their family, in preparation to their return home finally, after their programme with us. Three boys, whose families have been hard to reach, were unable however. We continue to make efforts to reconcile them, and have approached the appropriate government ministry in Lagos, to collaborate with on these interventions.
For those boys who were fortunate to visit their families, all but one had the fortune of going home for Easter break. One of them couldn’t because his grandmother, whom he would have stayed with is without a place of her own, and couldn’t accommodate him for such a long period. The others were happy and eager to go home for Easter and stayed for over a week, getting re-acquainted with family life.
The four boys who stayed back home still had a lovely Easter. They were invited over to have Easter Sunday brunch at a friend of the organisation’s home and had a really good time there. They were also treated to an evening outing to Silverbird galleria, where they enjoyed chicken and chips, and watched ‘Hansel and Gratel – the Witch Hunters’.
In March, one of the boys earned a reward for being the best behaved boy, and got to take a friend of his (from among FLA Kids) out to The Palms Shopping Complex, with Toju, one of our staff. They had a good time, doing some light shopping and playing games too. They also enjoyed ice cream, before accompanying Toju to a party they were all invited too. They enjoyed some barbecue chicken before returning to the Home.
On two occasions, Fair Life Africa was invited to represent its views on the street child problem live on radio. We were live on Unilag 103.1fm, with a father and his child, whom had been reconciled in 2012, and are happy at home now. Mr Labisi reported that things have not been the same since his child was returned to him, and that his behaviour is much improved. He’s been faithfully attending school, and doing well too. He even showed off his bronze medal, which he won at the inter-house sports.
Fair Life Africa was later invited by Radio Continental 102.3fm on the International Day for Street Children to discuss the phenomenon. We attended with two of the FLA Kids at the Home presently. They were asked some tough questions about street life and shared their views candidly. You can listen to the recording on our blog via this LINK.
Apart from one, the boys all came back to the Home and have resumed school, after the Easter break. Three of them have started their Senior Secondary Examinations. They have been studying very hard, and continue to receive tutelage from tutors in various subjects, as they prepare for each exam. The other boys continue to receive educational support from our support staff and dedicated volunteer, Yemi Adedeji, also.
One of the boys, however did not return to continue his schooling. While he was still home for the holidays, his grandmother called to inform us that he had not returned home from playing with the neighbours. We hoped to hear good news of his return the next day, but it appeared that he’d chosen the way of the street again, which is sad news to us.
We continue to follow up and support the families we have reconciled. We have been round to pay school fees for the two boys attending private schools. Eddy, a boy from the pilot programme, who ran from the domestic violence at home, is happy now because his mother now has a haven away from the abuse. He was staying with his grandfather, while he learnt the mechanic trade. Fair Life Africa helped his family to rent a simple accommodation, near enough to his sisters’ schools, and his mother’s job, to enable them to have a fresh start.
On this positive note, we conclude our report from the field. We hope to write to you soon with more testimonies from the children about their good behaviour in the home, success in academics and happy reconciliations. We will leave you with a link to James’ Story, which we posted on our blog. We hope that as you read their stories, you will be encouraged to inspire hope through giving… Every little helps. Thank you for being a supportive friend.
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There's so much to say about the last three months. To guard against losing you in all the details, I'll give a brief recap, update and highlights to guide you through the developments. I’ll also link you to posts in our blog, The Rising Star, which will tell you more about what you are interested in. Simply click the links, thanks and enjoying catching up!
RECAP
We started with a new group of boys in September, after we spent July and August scouting the streets for boys in need of rehabilitation and reconciliation. All the boys we took in were interested in going to school, and we enrolled them all in two private schools in October; one for Primary and one for Secondary. We also got in touch with all their families before they became resident at the Home, and began to entertain visits from the children's families towards their reconciliation.
In October, we shared Peter’s Story. He is one of the boys in the Home, who is an orphan. We also told you about our friends Yemi Adedeji and Kanyin Belo, who took the initiative to visit the Home with their friends, and also mark their birthdays with us. They started an unstoppable trend, so that every month since, we’ve had at least two friends come and mark their birthdays with the children.
UPDATE
One significant update is that Barthol, a 15 year old boy we took in in September, has decided to return home. He ran away from the centre on the 30th of December, to the shock of everyone, during a Church service at the local Church, which all the boys attend. We kept in contact with his family, and learnt that he went back home that same day. We paid him a visit in January, and saw that he was well and healthy, and also content! He had not been good academically, though he had insisted that he wanted to go to school. Now he is working under a meat seller as his apprentice, and says that’s what he wants to do. We wrote about this in FLA January Newsletter 2013.
In December, we wrote about Derek, another orphan at the Home, who used to work at Oshodi in Lagos, a popular district. He was the first child to win our good behaviour competition, and was taken out to Silverbird Galleria to watch a movie, and enjoy a lovely day out with two of his friends at the Home. He was also the first child to spend a weekend with his family, as part of our reconciliation process. It was a pleasant weekend, and he was really excited to go, and happy to return to the Home too.
Unfortunately, Derek is currently in hospital, after undergoing an operation and receiving treatment for appendicitis at the General Hospital. He was taken in by ambulance after some complaints, treatments and tests, which revealed that his situation was chronic and urgent. Permission was taken from his grandparents for the operation to be carried out, and it was successfully done on the 9th of February. He misses the Home, and asks to come back every day, but he is not yet strong enough. We look forward to his return.
In January, we wrote about Phillip, the second child to win our good behaviour competition. Phillip chose to go to GET Arena to enjoy go-karting and arcade games with his friend, John, which is what he did. He has been one of the most inspiring boys in the Home, as he is showing a lot of maturity and leadership amongst the boys. He is also doing well at school. You should read up on the boy they used to call ‘Ghetto Child’, while on the streets.
Andrew, 15 years, is the next child in line for a reward for good behaviour. He is a peaceable, hardworking young boy, who is often quiet, but cheerful in the Home. He almost got overlooked for good behaviour, because he doesn’t try to do things to be seen. However, during a meeting, when the other boys were being chastised, his goodness was found out and exposed. He says that he would like to a new pair of trainers for his reward, and wants to make a trip to Shoprite Complex this Saturday.
Two of our boys are looking forward to going home for the weekend this coming weekend. They are Luke and Mark, and we have not yet written up their case studies, but will soon do so on the blog. Peter, Mark and Andrew are preparing for their West African Examination Council exams, and the practicals are starting in March. They are receiving support from our friend and volunteer, Yemi Adedeji, and our new support worker, Emeke Ndego, so that they will catch up with their mates who had been consistent in school.
Four other boys are receiving one-to-one educational support from our support workers, to help them to get up to speed academically. They scored poorly, compared to their mates, in the first term examinations, and we want to give them extra support, particularly with English and Maths. However, at a recent review, we decided that, for at least two of them, we should focus our efforts on getting them trained with vocations they can do, because they do not have a good attitude to their academics and are not likely to pass. We will continue to explore options with them, in partnership with them to equip them for the future.
All but two of the boys, Matthew and Simon, have been visited by their families. Matthew’s case is actually quite concerning and was reported to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation early in January. Simon’s case was reported in February, after efforts to get his family to visit in January were unfruitful. It is very important that families visit their children and are counseled before the children return home finally. Through their visits, and the children’s stays at home (for weekends, then a few days as needed), we will be able to determine the stability of the child’s return home, and also put in the necessary support for the family to move on.
Apart from Derek’s health condition, two of our boys are also receiving treatment at the Home, following medical tests, which revealed concerning ailments. Apart from these, the boys are generally well. They eat and sleep well, and are engaged throughout the day. They are also counseled once fortnightly (one-to-one), and every three weeks in their groups. We would like them to have more free time however, because a lot of their time is being used to supplement their learning from school. They often go on outings or receive visitors over the weekend, so they do not have as much free time as they’d like, but we’re working on a creating more allowances on their schedule.
HIGHLIGHTS
Joseph Yobo, Captain of the Nigeria Super Eagles, paid a visit to FLA Home on the 29th of December 2012 with lots and lots of provisions for the Home. He was welcomed with his crew, and spent some time talking to the boys, inspiring them to grasp the opportunity available to them at the Home. He promised to return to see them all, and encourage them with more support.
Joseph Hudson, CEO of Lafarge (WAPCO) Nigeria, paid a visit with his three sons on the 18th of December 2012. They brought a signed rugby ball, and played rugby in the nearby field with the boys. They also brought new and used clothing and a massive Christmas hamper for the Home. Lafarge (Friends of the Community), visited earlier in October, and came back in January. They were part of our last Monthly Birthday Party and presented gifts and a financial donation to the Home. They promised to return to offer more hands on assistance, and Mr Hudson promises his continued support too.
We had our First Annual Christmas Party on the 23rd of December, and it was a huge success. Most of the children’s families were in attendance, including the boys we reconciled from the pilot programme. Several corporate sponsors and many of our friends also showed up to make the day memorable. Before, after and during, the Home was blessed with abundant food and alternative donations from friends and well-wishers. The boys were reminded every day that it was indeed the season to be jolly, as people came almost daily to share provisions with them and spend some time inspiring them. To learn about the party, please read our Christmas Party Report. You can read up on Joseph Yobo’s visit, Joseph Hudson’s visit and the other activities that went on over Christmas in our FLA December Newsletter 2012 too!
Thanks to Toyin Eribake, who came to celebrate his birthday at the Home in January, we now have DSTV at the Home!!! Well, he came with Eng. Ola Adetula, who later came back in January to mark his birthday at the Home, and the DSTV was his gift! It was an awesome surprise. Toyin later wrote about his visit and shared it with his friends, several of whom have become financial sponsors of the Home. Eng. Adetula and his wife, Bisoye, also outdid themselves, by showing unusual kindness to our boys. Last weekend, they took six of them into their home, and treated them like family members. Nishola Akinyera, our support worker, who accompanied the boys wrote about the visit on the blog.
Time will not permit to go into all the things that have been happening, but here are some other posts on the blog you really should check out if you have the time and interest:
'Celebrating Children's Day 2012' - FLA's Participation to train on Children's Rights
'November's MBP - Wish You Were Here' - Monthly Birthday Party report for November.
'Getting It Right' - Training Day organised by Christianah Fate Foundation in February
Our featured post at the moment is 'Valentine Love Sessions With JRhythm', a sensational Valentine's Day event that will also raise funds for CCC Initiative. If you are in Lagos, you really should come and be a part of it. It's holding at 6pm on the 14th of February at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island.
You might also be interested in reading FLA November Newsletter 2012. We have also updated our Frequently Asked Questions, Donor Shopping List and Meet The Team pages on the blog.
So, I hope that reading all this, you are reassured that you are supporting a worthy initiative. Thank you for all that you have done. We try our best to keep you informed through our monthly newsletters and the blog. You can subscribe for the E-Newsletter here. We are still developing, not only in our interventions, but in our communication to you. Your financial support is very encouraging to us, and helps us to know that we are not alone in this initiative.
One thing that never changes, even with the advancement of technology, is the fact that it takes a community to raise up a child. We are pleased with the growing support in our immediate community here in Lagos, and touched by the contributions we receive via GlobalGiving UK, and now US too. The world is more and more a global community, and we all need to put our hands together to secure tomorrow's hope - the children of today. Please consider being a regular donor, and enable us to make greater impact in the lives of these children and their families.
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