Tolu Sangosanya Builds Refuge within the Refuse: The Dustbin Estate Story
Posted on Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 at 11:53 AMBy Gbenga Awomodu
My trip to the Dustbin Estate on Sunday 7 November 2010 was one I took with caution. I had heard so much and seen a bit on the TV screen earlier in the year, but I was not totally prepared for the repugnance that came on me on arrival at the Estate. At exactly 1PM, I was at the International Church of Christ gathering which held at Glover Hall on Lagos Island to meet up with my interviewee. She commended my on-time arrival and greeted me with a warm smile. About fifteen minutes after she had ushered me in, the church service came to an end. After the regular banter and some minutes of waiting, Tolu changed from her beautiful shoes into her flat slippers. It was time to head to her ‘workshop’ at the Dustbin Estate. Ninety minutes and two cranky bus rides later, we were in AJ city under the hot afternoon sun. There I got to “meet” Tolu Sangosanya and experience life in the Dustbin Estate that she is so passionate about rejuvenating.
Meet Tolu Sangosanya
Tolu Sangosanya studied Mass Communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. She is very driven, assertive, energetic and observant. Our first meeting was at the Future Pre-Awards conference in February 2010. There, she had stood in anger to condemn the overly suggestive and shallow lyrics of one of the musicians while extolling the patriotism promoted by a young chap who had composed and performed a scintillating song about loyalty to his country, Nigeria. With her fiery stance, it was clear this young lady meant serious business. She is passionate about her country. It was not much of a surprise to me when she won the Future Award for Best Use of Advocacy on her philanthropic work with the children living on lots of debris in Dustbin Estate, a shack settlement in the Awodi-Ora area of Ajegunle, a popular Lagos ghetto-suburb. She had graduated from mere talk unlike many Nigerians, and had chosen to walk her talk.
The Dustbin Estate
Aptly named, the Dustbin Estate is a collection of shanties on refuse dump where a very poor set of people live in Ajegunle. Living on a large heap of rubbish poses a myriad of health hazards to both adults and the children, not neglecting the attendant environmental issues. Whenever there is rainfall, the situation is worsened as the entire ‘estate’ is soaked in flood and people still go about their normal duties in this deplorable state! One wonders how these people survive; they eat, drink, have their bath, sleep, talk and do virtually everything in this ever-smelly settlement. Some of them make money from charging people who dispose their refuse here, but one wonders if the 50 Naira note collected for each pack of refuse could ever sum up to justify and alleviate the prevalent abject poverty and hazardous living.
The beautiful children of the "Dustbin Estate" learning in the midst of decay
Tolu’s Fascination for Philanthropy
“I started giving as a profession when I was 23. It started as celebrating my birthday on December 28, feeding and showing love and attention to kids. I am from a broken home and one of the things people from my background really lack is love and attention. Such people seek love and attention from other sources and not from the normal sources which are parents and loved ones. I read from one of Zig Ziglar’s books that if you want something, you have to give it out first; then it automatically comes back to you. Sometime later, I was coming from Maryland to Ikeja in Lagos, then I saw a child leading her father to beg and I looked into the girl’s eyes and I saw hopelessness: no spark, no life. I looked at that girl and thought, ‘what future does this girl have? I have education at least, even if I didn’t have the love of my parents, (or so I thought…)’ I prayed, ‘Father Lord I need you to use me to show the kind of love you have for humanity to other people’… and that’s how we started…”
Initially, when she started, she invited friends and the first event they planned was tagged “Feel Their Pain For One Day”. But it did not hold. It was supposed to involve fashion designers taking sewing machines on the streets of Lagos and making clothes for the kids instantly, without shade, under sun or rain, so that the volunteers could have a feel of how these people lived, sitting under the sun and begging. “There’s something about begging that doesn’t do justice to your esteem. It kills the way you view yourself and belittles you” she says. The other part of that event would have been people going on the streets and begging on behalf of the beggars then giving the proceeds to the ‘professional beggars’. Nevertheless, the failure of that first programme did not deter her from pressing on. “I realized that for you to be able to do anything in life you have to be able to ‘kill’ yourself for people to believe in what you are saying and I did that to myself” she adds.
Her Motives and the Journey Thus Far
“The closer I get to God, the easier my work gets because I realize the motive and reason why I started initially was to get something which was love and attention and I was giving it out to get that back… and over the period of time I’ve been doing what I’m doing, motives and reasons have kept changing. It came to contributing to Nigeria and Nigeria’s development and preparing kids for the future. After studying the Bible over a period of time, I also realized that there is a reward for everything you do on earth, be it negative or positive, and that how we spend eternity depends largely on what we do on earth.” She believes that giving to the poor, giving clothes to those who lack and welcoming them into ‘our homes’ are biblical and have eternal rewards. “It didn’t make sense initially because people have forgotten that other people are made in the image of God. When you treat someone kindly for being an individual, you are treating God kindly because if someone is in your image, of course it’s still relating to the same person, the one and only source. I think that is the level I am on right now… By next week I don’t know what my motive for doing what I do is going to be, but again I believe I’ve received so much love from God and I need to give it back.”
L-R: Priye (literacy class teacher); Mr. Biodun (community member); Emmanuel (literacy class teacher), Tolu Sangosanya
Results and Impact Assessment
“When we first came on December 18, 2008, we got across to over 1,000 people; on February 14, 2009 we had a Valentine’s Day party for the kids and were able to reach a hundred children. On May 27, 2009, we had a party for them at the UNILAG multipurpose hall which was tagged “They Are Stars” in conjunction with Magic Moment and it was with other NGOs, but most of them were orphanages. There were 12 orphanages plus LOTS Charity Foundation. In December 2009, we took sixty one kids from here to the Silverbird Galleria, Shoprite and the Chinese Restaurant on Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, so that their minds could be nourished and they could see how other Nigerians live and begin to dream of bigger things about their future. Some people said to me, ‘why would you want to go and hire an air-conditioned bus to convey these kids?’ I said to myself: ‘If they were your children, what would you give? Would you give secondhand treatment to them or first class?’ We need to get rid of this greed and selfishness and think of other people.”
After, the February 14, 2009 event, LOTS Charity Foundation started a literacy class for the Dustbin Estate kids with only 25 children. This number later doubled and increased. In 2009, a hundred and twenty (120) children enjoyed the literacy programme. Some of the kids have stopped attending while new members have joined, putting the current number at 77. Impromptu gifts and donations from churches, friends and family come in handy. Banky W celebrated his birthday there this year. Fountain Church, VGC, Women’s Fellowship were there recently with clothes, toys and stuff for the kids. Pan African University came in 2009 and was able to reach about 200 kids that day. Since inception, an estimated 2000 children have felt the impact of the NGO’s efforts. Next month 5,000 kids will be fed in Lagos; 1500 each simultaneously in three places- Makoko, The Beggars Colony in Oko-Baba and here (Dustbin Estate), then 500 children will be fed on the street-those begging and hawking.”
Battling the Challenges of Philanthropy
Despite the tremendous work she has done so far with and the results achieved, there have been various challenges faced and many more to be conquered. The first major challenge the LOTS charity foundation has faced is inadequate funding. The second one is actually getting capable hands to work with. She has had people who volunteered in the past, but soon realized that their motives were wrong. “The major issue I think we have when it comes to volunteerism in Nigeria is that everybody still has this selfishness in them. They are looking for what to get from something. I did this job for five years without getting paid myself, it doesn’t make sense to even me that did it, but again there are reasons why I did it. I was driven by eternity; there was passion behind whatever I did and still do anyway…. but most people still want to get ‘what’s in it for me?’ and I’m wondering ‘how am I supposed to work with these people?’ This kind of job is a non-for-profit. You can make excess and surplus and you’ll plough it back into the business. Even when we get people who have the competencies to do what we want them to do; most times, we can’t afford to pay their salaries, at least for now. And because of that, I’m wearing too many caps: I’m the fund raiser, I’m the PR, the Admin manager, and I do planning and organizing. I’m looking for other alternatives for making money and raising funds for these kids. Thank God we have teachers, but again I need more people who are self-driven and trustworthy. A person who is not passionate about children and does not love children will fade out.”
The LOTS Charity foundation needs help with organizational structure. Tolu acknowledges a deficiency in this area. “There are a lot of companies that I’ve seen; NGOs that are run more effectively because of the structures they’ve put in place; I don’t have that. We are willing to pay for professionals to help, but right now we don’t have the funding. I do not intend to do this and be the leader of this organization in the next ten years. At that time, the only thing I want to do is just to give ideas and advice. I want a company that will outlive me.”
Another major challenge is the lack of cooperation of some parents. Some have stopped allowing their children to attend the literacy classes for reasons as flimsy as their children not getting material gifts when items are occasionally shared by private and corporate donors. “What people don’t understand is that what we plant in the lives of those kids will have an impact on where they’ll be in the next 20 years. I don’t see short-term; what I see for the kids is a future as presidents, senators and industry leaders. I don’t know if most of the parents see the same thing: the same way I want the children to grow up and change the lives of their parents for good. I don’t know how they view education and how important they think education is… so in itself, trying to break the barrier of dealing with the parents who have the largest influence on the kids right now and getting across to the kids themselves is a lot of struggle for me. What I see for the children is something big. For instance, next year is going to be an election year and I plan that the kids would have and wear T-shirts with the message: ‘Vote for Me, I’m your Future President’ boldly printed on them.”
She continues to vent, “Some people value education, others think they are doing me, as an individual, a favour by bringing their children to come and learn how to read and write and I say to them… ‘I only love Nigeria and your kids because God loves me. If I’m going to be like every other person, I’m just going to mind my own business and go and work in the oil companies and shut everybody out and buy the Jeeps and buildings in VGC and build fences that are high enough and put electricity on them. I’d just mind my own business and live my own life on an Island, but I can’t do that… I’m supposed to be the light of the world, supposed to be the salt of the world. I cannot function as salt if I don’t mix with other people and I know the life of those children will actually be better if their parents support what we are doing and begin to see something positive for their children. I can’t keep dreaming for their children if they themselves can’t dream for their children.”
Keeping Body and Soul Together
“I run two companies simultaneously: LOTS Charity Foundation and Lots of Things (also abbreviated as LOTS). In the other company, we do Lots of Things! From real estate to event planning, to fundraising, organizing charity parties…” She is also completing her studies at Nobel Afrique, a popular fashion school in Lagos. The for-profit business is intended to provide for the not-for-profit organization. After attending a social sector management course at the Pan African University, Lagos, she learnt to grow beyond writing proposals and seeking people’s donations. She derives inspiration from the Oxfam model. “Yes, the donation can be supplementary; it mustn’t be the main source of income. That’s the level we’re aiming for in the long term. We are writing books, we’re selling clothes, we are going into agriculture, and we do event planning and real estate.
On Advocacy, Government Interventions and Marriage
“I have been to the Local Government office, they asked us to go and register somewhere as an NGO for them to recognize and partner with us. We have gone half-way in meeting some of the requirements. I have written a letter to Governor Fashola of Lagos State, but there’s been no response yet. I hope they would consider the interest of the children which would not only affect the local government, but also the state government and the Federal Government. So do I have any link with the government right now? No. Do I want to? Yes”. A man popularly called Chairman has been most helpful, securing the church premises used for the literacy class in front of his house. Two of the young men who used to harass her for money earlier on now help her with advocacy with the parents.
On the impact of possible future occurrences such as marriage on her work, she says, “I have to sieve the kind of people I attract to myself or get attracted to me because it would have a great impact on what I do and how I do it. I can’t move at the same frequency with someone who doesn’t believe in what I’m doing, so that itself is a prayer point… those who don’t care about what I’m doing: That God will chase them away from me! I can’t marry a selfish man.”
Grand Plans for the Future
Plans are on to establish a modern resource centre which would cater for various needs of the children. On October 1, 2010, Africa Magic featured Naija Diamonds, a documentary on different young Nigerians making positive impact in the country. Tolu’s work was featured and as a result, a Cameroonian who works with the World Bank in South Africa showed interest in her work. Someone else who owns a furniture making company wants to help with designing nice tables and chairs for use at the proposed resource centre. “The resource centre itself would be a refuge out of the refuse. Right now the kids live on a refuse dump proper… We want to have a resource centre where they can visit and be able to think beyond their immediate environment; to stimulate them to think differently and say to themselves: ‘that we started from here does not mean we should end here’. They should begin to aspire for greatness”, she explains.
The Resource Centre is planned to have a Common Room where the kids can watch educative programmes on some DSTV channels (Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and Cartoon Network); a Computer Room for acquiring computer and internet skills; Classroom(s) where Montessori teachers will apply audiovisuals in teaching. There’ll be a Soup Kitchen where, hopefully, kids will be fed three times in a week. There’s going to be a Vocational Room where useful entrepreneurial skills like photography, carpentry, fashion design and tie and dye will be taught. (The volunteer who owns a furniture company is willing to take interns during the 3-month long-term break. Someone has also provided twenty cameras for the kids while another person has volunteered to train them in the art of photography.) Also included in the Resource Centre plans are a Library and an administrative office. The annual ‘Worship for Change Concert’, held by the Fountain of Praise Ministries led by Pastor Wale Adenuga, raised funds for the support of LOTS’ major project- the Resource Centre in October. Though the total amount raised is yet to be announced, it is hoped that it would go a long way in actualizing this big dream to change lives on Dustbin Estate.
Photo Credit: © Gbenga Awomodu – BellaNaija.com
___________________________________________________________________________________________
To give financial support to the LOTS Charity Foundation, here are the account details:
Account name: LOTS-LOTS OF THINGS,
Bank Name: Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Ajah Branch
Account number: 2276513535110.
You can also send Tolu an e-mail at: projectlots@yahoo.com or toluboni@yahoo.com
Or visit LOTS website here!
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Gbenga Awomodu is a freelance writer and editor. He blogs at Gbenga’s Notebook!, a repository of his thoughts and other works.
Tags: Bn Inspired!, Dustbin Estate Children, Gbenga Awomodu, Inspired!, LOTS Charity Foundation, The Future Awards 2010, Tolu Sangosanya
Amazing!!! God bless you and those involved in this project. GIving someone Hope is the best thing you can give someone to nourish their spirit.
Agreed. Saw the episode on Moments with Mo and she spoke about this project with so much passion. The children will have you to thank in years to come, Tolu.
Again, well done!
And what is the government doing bout this??
What are you as an individual and a citizen of this country doing? Pray tell. Why do we put everything on the Government? We all have our part to play in making the country a better place. No hard feelings…please think about it
Inspiring…
http://www.that1960chick.com
Tolu, You really inspire me.God bless you.
very good one, gbenga!
Wit more selfless people like u, nigeria as a whole can become a beta place. Kudos!
Great Job dear, keep it up. The beauty of Bella Naija is to put yourself out there, get independent opinion and brush up on areas you deem fit
That said I have my reservations on your generalisation of people from broken homes. My parents are seperated, but I do not introduce myself as someone from a broken home. Attitude and Self perception are everything, when you see yourself as someone from a broken home you automatically have an inferiority complex. I thank God for the kind of mother I have, she brought us up so well most of my friends whose parents are together can’t relate with the general perception they’ve read about my type. I have so much love and Joy it’s unbelievable.
Also your statement on the “flimsy” reason why some parents’ stop their children from going for classes is because well…. you think their opinion is flimsy. Still on attitude.
Lastly, your thoughts on marriage……. ” I can’t move at the same frequency with someone who doesn’t believe in what I’m doing, …. those who don’t care about what I’m doing: That God will chase them away from me! I can’t marry a selfish man.”……. That in itself is selfish. It’s all about you, you and more you.
Great job once again, I only just gave you my honest opinion as a sister.
Bless you dear
On her point raised on marriage, i totally agree with her and i don’t think its selfish at all! It becomes a problem when a married couple have different visions.There is just no going around it.Tolu is a very selfless person and she praying for a selfless man who believes in giving back to the society is not selfish at all, its called praying for a compatible partner.
Lade, as you have pointed out, Tolu’s selflessness is not only apparent but very contagious. Bringing that selflessness into her r/ship will do her much good, as r/ships are about two people coming together to make it work and not one person saying….. I want this, this and that or get out that DOOR NOW!
PS I do not want to take readers attention away from her good works, I only penned down my little observation.
Please my dear sister,marry someone who u are always at loggerheads with,who doesnt believe in you or what you do just to prove ur selflessness.No one is stopping you.No one would even judge you.Each man to his own.
Tolu God give you the grace and strength to continue
Gbam!
Tolu dear Keep the flag flying.
Meanwhile, I thought we were going down the “Otunoluwa” route.
That in itself is actually NOT selfish because, she may find someone she really cares about but if he has not been called to the ministry of charity work at the level she is on, then she may have to let him go.
This is very serious business and only a like minded person can be a her partner in bringing help to inidigent citizens.
I’m in the same place right now and everyday I pray to God for someone who is like me so that the work God can do through me will not be jeopardized.
Koko, I am soooo shocked at your comment and yes, I am taking this personal. How can you read this entire write-up and pick these 3 points to comment on?
Concerning her comments about marriage, I doubt that you’ve ever been in her shoes or in anything close to them so on what basis do you call her “desired qualities in a husband” selfish? I had to leave my ex because we were always at loggerheads about my being overly involved with orphans. You might think it flimsy but it was such a big deal. Tolu sounds like she is extremely passionate about what she does and it is impossible to make a marriage with someone who doesn’t share same vision (at least to an extent) work. Please let’s learn to stop being so judgemental and speak only on what we’ve had first-hand experience with.
BTW, God bless you real good Tolu. He will strengthen you all the days of your life. Amen
wow! i read your comment and i couldnt help but smile! if you know me at all u will know inferiority complex is FAR…. away from me and my perception about myself is BEAUTIFUL,but i didnt get there in one day,it took me years of building plus the love of God and my mentors,prof. wale omole and fela durotoye.i once had inferiority complex then moved to superiority complex and now to being simply TOLULOPE. I will scream from the mountain top if i have to about my ‘broken’ state,i was once very much bitter about it but now i can see the sweetness because the bulk of who i am now came from my ‘broken’home. It will not be wise of anyone to assume that being from a broken home doesn’t do more damage than good,ask my 14 years old half-brother who was asked to choose which of his parents he wants to live with b4 a court. I bless your mother from being strong but my step mother would LOVE to have her husband back and so does my mother for my step father[rip], for the load of proper parenting is too heavy for one person to carry.Two are better than one do u no is in the bible,check proverbs. I have seen many people from broken homes,many of who are my friends and on a scale of 10,at least 7 of us[me inclusive]still wish that our parents remained together.After i work with LOTS charity foundation for a little while longer,i intend to help my fellow ‘broken’ brothers and sisters heal for God in His wisdom created a family with daddy and mummy being present bcos they individually have their roles to play in the lives of a child,a family without any of the partners will without God’s grace and mercy have stunted growth for the right ingredients aren’t complete.Have u followed the world’s stat. that says most times than not children from broken homes get divorced themselves?well,i am not going to say ‘so what?’ and simply mind my business since i know i wouldnt be part of that stastistic, but roll up my sleves and begin to campaign against divorce,seperation,single parenthood and the likes…..
selfish?me?i smile again! i am 28 years old. i have had my fair share of boyfriends u no. 4 a while i spoke negatively to God 4 still being single until i saw His wisdom.Now u can commend my work and i thank you 4 it koko,it wouldnt have been if i had married at least one of my ex boyfriends that i am sure of.not that he is a bad person,only his own idea abt a wife would have killed the very essence of my being which is what giving is to me.For the last two days,i have spoken to friends abt how i am happy to still be single[even though i wouldnt be for long] cos now i see that there is more to marriage than what we call LOVE! marriage is work,partnership,romance,companionship,friendship,and the list of its duties goes on. Sister my choice of husband will not only affect me,but also my destiny, descendants and not forgetting God for i was created to bring Him glory, praises and adoration thru. my good works. besides i do not want to create more broken homes, which is what i may have if i marry someone who isnt on the same giving frequency like me or even better and then my generation will now suffer for my bad choice becos of my ‘unselfish’nature. infact its bcos of my selflessness that i am willing to become ‘selfish’ so that my unborn kids can have peace,love,care and plenty of affection showered on them bcos their mummy and daddy agree on many things[not all things].Can two work together unless they agree? i cannot shout!
hmmmm…….never know some people still care. God Bless You.
Goodness!! I am saddened!! But thankful for the gem Tolu Sangosanya..So people live like this?..I need to stop talking and start walking!!
Well done Tolu….
Finally, Bella naija posts a story that isn’t about the latest aso ebi or internet celebrities. This is the type of story i believe should be getting more write up’s. The forgotten ones, or like a friend once put it, “our dirty secret”.
Hello Brown Coffee,
Thanks for your comment. This isn’t the first story BellaNaija.com has posted about real life issues. We have done several articles which deal with topical issues facing real life people in the past and we aim to expand on this in the future. I think your comment is a bit unfair. BN is about more than ‘aso ebi’ and ‘internet celebrities’ as you put it. I am sure our numerous vistors will agree with me. Our recent story on Samira- A Young Cancer Survivour and our recently concluded Skin Deep Series are just a few examples. Gbenga has also conducted various interviews with ‘real life’ individuals excelling in their various chosen fields.
Thanks again for your comment.
I think the real issue is that people do not actually read those serious articles. It is always the case on this website that considerably more comments are left on fashion posts than stories such as this.
So while BN has made an effort, particularly in recent times, to diversify the content to include more conscious material, the law of demand and supply will always apply.
Gloria, i think what Brown C0ffee is trying to point out is that BN does MORE of Celebrities and the current IT lifestyle. Yes, occasionally, BN does feature stories that reflect the current issues we face as a Nation but It would be great if BN focuses more on real issues that affect our daily lives rather than what this QC babe did for her wedding or not or who wore the Alexander Mcqueen dress the best. What percentage of Nigerians or your readers in General can afford anything made by Alexander Mcqueen? And it’s amazing how only 14 people have commented on this article so far But, if it were an article about how an American R&B star performed at a wedding in Nigeria, there would be 150 comments within 1 hour. It’s a shame where our priorities lie and it doesn’t help that BN helps promote such behavior.
If BN is primarily a lifestyle of the rich and famous website then let it be so. The rest of us will just have to wait until there is a website that engages our conscience and promotes how we can help/give back to our community. Off to send some money to LOTS.
BabyDee I’m not sure your comments are entirely fair. I think life in Nigeria is so tough and depressing anyways that people come here for some escapism. BN is supposed to be an entertainment website and as such it’s focus should always be on the lighter side of things. It would however be a good idea to use it’s popularity to promote good causes and social consciousness ( which I think they’re starting to do bit by bit). I think you expect too much from a website that only started a few years ago.
Moreover sites like Saharareporters.com ,nigerianvillagesquare.com and countless other blogs exist for strictly serious content, so I think BN serves a legitimate purpose in providing more light-hearted fare. People who can afford McQueen also need to be entertained abi!
What I think Brown Coffee and Baby Dee should do is start a website with real life issues as it’s primary focus. They would be doing something they are passionate about.
What Bella Naija does meets a need and asking them to pay more attention to socially conscious issues at the expense of entertaining us is like asking E to stop showing us the red carpet because there was an earthquake in Haiti.
Putting up this story is BN’s way of doing their bit.
Tolu’s work is her way of doing her bit
Let’s do ours.
http://www.gbemisoke.com
I absolutely agree with Peperempe. It is true BN ocassionally publishes heartfelt posts like this. It is still an ENTERTAINMENT and LIFESTYLE website, that focuses on a whole lot of other aspects in Nigeria i.e. Fashion, music, etc, catering to a wide range of audience.
Nevertherless, we should still focus on this particular post and the story at hand. Nigeria has a long way to go! And if people like Tolu Sangosanya has taken her step in making this country a better place, what’s stopping us from taking ours……….
I will have to disagree with you. Clearly, you are not a frequent visitor to this site. There are several topics that are not about weddings and “internet celebrities (whatever that is!). I don’t think bellanaija has ever declared itself to be a real issue blog. If you want a site with real issues, visit 234next.com, sahara reporters, nigeriansfornigeria.com etc. That way, you don’t make unsavoury comments like this. With all the shams and drudgery surrounding us in this country, I look forward to positive news that bellanaija carries and events it advertises, pictures from these events that I believe we all look forward to seeing. Please take ur “bad belle” elsewhere and leave these people to continue the good work they do. And instead of running them down, try to create your own blos about these issues if you care SO much for them.
You are indeed a rare gem. May the almighty bless all your efforts because you are certainly doing this because of him. its only the love of the almighty that inspires such actions. once again God bless you.
God bless you Tolu.
may ALMIGHTY GOD bless you for this innovating endeavor of yours,most people that volunteer to help actually do want to help but have a problem on what they can do to fit in.i for instance know i cant teach but can corral my colleagues and all into donating our money and creating awareness to all in the society,we don’t have to see and speak before we do our little effort to make society a better place
So how can we donate money?
The account details can be found at the bottom of the post. Thanks.
very inspiring. i hope a lot more people can join in this work, not just look at this, say awww and then move on. God bless!
Gbenga Awomodu, Well done on this story. It is shocking that people still live like this and in Lagos too. Very sad indeed. I am glad however that people like Tolu, Mummy GO (through her Habitation of Hope) and even BellaNaija (through publishing this story) are making a change. I will contribute my own quota too…
http://temiville.wordpress.com/
Truly inspirational to read this. Well done Tolu!
This brought tears to my eyes, what an inspiration.
Where can one donate to this cause – I am from Ghana but i want to donate to her cause. I am passionate about such things
Please check the bottom of the post for Tolu Sangosanya’s contact details as well as the account details. Thanks.
This is such an inspiring piece. God bless you and your good work Tolu
Tolu please continue with all you are doing with LOTS. I know from first hand experience how challenging it can be managing a NGO in Nigeria. It takes hard work and determination. I believe many of us do not understand how many young children in Nigeria are suffering.
I hope your story inspires many young Nigerians to contribute as small as it may be to the lives of the vunerable. People like yourself and Ogo from the VITILOGO organisation should be encouraged and pushed to continue making a difference.
Thank you Gbenga for this informative article.
May the Lord help us all.
thanks for posting this, pls showcase similar features more often. tx
Tolu God bless u.i kno he will help u cos he is faithful.
well done job there my brother, Gbenga Awomodu. i just pray good Nigerians out there will give there utmost support to Tolu Sangosanya by giving generously to the foundation. God bless Gbenge Awomodu, God bless Tolu Sangosanya and God bless Bellanaija.
Is it so difficult to pack refuge together and burn it. Why cant this people sweep the front of their house or dig a hole and pack all the dirty inside. I think thats not a diffcult task. This people need to be lectured of how dangerous it is to the health to live in such a dirty enviroment.
Why are people like this not nominated for the Young Person of the Year Award? This is why this award is beginning to seem meaningless to me for something sake!
She won the Best Use of Advocacy at the Future Awards last year. From what I know, the foundation gained from the Future Awards exposure.
yes we did gain alot from winning the future awards. i thank God for that and the team of future awards who are always pushing us b4 the world.
Im speechless,
You have definitely found your life purpose and the joy of the lord is your strength.
http://lifethroughomaseyes.blogspot.com
BN readers, I think it might be a good idea to inform your parents as well..they can often afford to give more anyway, but may not know about BN or LOTS for that matter. I now know what I would request for my Christmas present……
Tolu you are indeed living a life that’s making God smile.I will do my own bit to help.
God help us to give and do more.
BN I applaud your continous efforts in bringing stories like this to your audience who need to be reminded once in a while of the real world we live in and the need for them to make a difference in their world. I am moved by this story and i promise it will not be in vain i would love to contact this lady and visit this place with things for the people who live there especially the children.
Really considering volunteering over the holidays. This is quite inspiring. I’m so happy for people like her that get things done and remind us that we can do better.
It’s so easy to fall into a lazy lifestyle, blaming the government and everything around us but never trying to actually do sth to improve it
The Lord is ur strength Tolu
http://www.heartnollywood.blogspot.com
Tolu, You have truly personified the scriptures that when you lend to the poor, God will hear you in your day of trouble. May you never see trouble in Jesus name.
It is rare to see a person who is so selfless…….your labour of Love will not be in vain. I am speechless ……………………………………………….
There are a lot of “Dustbin” estates among us.The question is what role is each and everyone of us playing?Yes,our leaders have a big role to play but the led also have a lot do .Hard work and honesty no longer exist in our society.Sometimes when one comes out with a sincere intent to help,the people being helped don’t even know how to help themselves. Giving these people education is good but I think they need vocational trades and housing-does not have to be in VGC,just a clean place to live. Again, even if the fund is provided,will it trickle down? As the developed the world like the United states continue to out source their industries,why haven’t Nigeria ,with it’s population and manpower benefited?Take a look at China,the Philipines, for example. The answer is simple.Dishonesty!419!Even the foreign companies established years back are leaving.If the economy is good things will go around.This is food for thought.What type of society are building?Great job Tolu.I hope to do something starting from my village at least.
This is very inspiring. Tolu, the Lord bless you for this. Hopefully people will be encouraged to offer assistance to your organization and the children.
It’s really great so see fellow Nigerians passionate about effecting positive change in the country. We need more and more of this.
Good job BN. I hope articles on poverty in Nigeria are featured more frequently.
Actually, a good idea for BN could be to do something similar to Anderson Coopers Heros on CNN. A list of Top 10 philanthropists in Nigeria. That would be good publicity for sure!
Does Naija have paypal? for those abroad who want to make a donation?
This lady is doing an AMAZING job. She’s creating a lot of hope where there was none, and it would be great if more and more Nigerians who are able reach out and help those who are in need, not necessarily financially, but in other ways – such as in terms of access to better quality education.
Good for her!!
http://sugabelly.blogspot.com
My first comment is please stop always saying “Government should…” – be like Tolu and use the amazing power you have.
My second comment is that these photographs are amazing, and I envision using pictures of real people and places – the riverine shanties, the dustbin estates, the pans of sand carried all day till the men are hunched like Quasimodo, and the guys and girls that work solid rock with their hoes in the name of agriculture, etc – for decoration in the government offices in Abuja. Currently they prefer “art” that further insulates them from the country. Let’s keep it real. Calling our photographers: our TY Bello and our Yinka Abebe, our Elechi Amadi-Obi and our Sinem Bilem-Onabanjo, our you and our me, to make a gift of true Nigerian photographs of the highest quality (gift or contract, na you sabi) to the State Houses of Assembly, the Courts, the Presidency, the Government Houses, the Central Mosque, the Senate, the Money church, … lest they forget that some people have got toooo little from this Union called Nigeria and we/they need to be inspired by their suffering.
Very inspiring indeed with a lesson for us all, life isn’t about living in your cocooned world and minding your own business. It’s simply about taking the focus off yourself and everything yours and making others and their needs your focus.
What a wonderful rewarding venture! Some years back, i watched a program in which Pastor T.B Joshua went to places where we have concentration of beggars and supplied them with clothing materials, food and other needed items. I also saw him inviting widows and giving them as much as =N=200,000 each to start something worthwhile. I am not Pastor Joshua’s follower neither am i a member of his church. But on the said day, i shed tears of joy and instantly love the pastor for what was doing and still doing. These are what Jesus Christ taught us to do. “When i was hungry you fed me. When i was naked, you covered me with clothes and when i was thirsty, you gave me water to drink” Jesus Christ was asked “When did we do all these for you” and he answered” each time you do that to a neighbor in need, you do it for me”. This is exactly what Tolu is doing. It is the most rewarding thing to do. If half of Nigeria’s population can be like Tolu, Nigeria will be a better place for us all to live in. That is what is lacking in our so call leaders. I call them dealers because all they’re after is their personal pocket and not how to better the lots of down-trodden like Tolu is doing. God! Use me as you’re presently using Tolu. Let me be able to bless others with whatever you bless me with IJN. God bless Bellanaija and all the staff who brought this to us to read. Off to make my own donation fast.
my brother,improve on ur prayer.God should use you better than He is using me.Yes i have seen Pastor Joshua’s work at the beggers colony in ebute metta and for that also i love the man.that scripture you quoted once made me cry like a baby bcos when i started work as a professional giver,i had no clue that all our work/ programmes were right there in the bible.It made me proud of God and the Holy Spirit that lives inside of me,for from that passage i knew that what i started wasnt mine 4 me to claim the glory,its all about God.the only thing i think i do right is that i am willing and even that i cannot totally claim for myself for all i have including my desires were given to me by my Father,Whose face i cannot wait to see for i hope it will bear a broad smile!
If all so call celebrities (SELF MADE) in naija did an ounce of what this lady is doing naija will be a better place – but rather they care about appearing on red carpet with their K legs, fake eye contacts, fake lace front and fake everything trying too damn hard to be hollywood but they cant. HOw about each of the celebs adopts to pay for school fees for just one child education – they dont have to live in your mighty house just adopt to pay their fees and see them thru school. You wont do that yet if you get to obodoyibo (abroad) you want scholarship from the white man. Africans are some of the most selffish ppl on this planet and this is why i am so honored and inspired by this lady – just selfless and helping the poorest. I invited some folks to my ngo one day for christmas kids feeding – can u believe some of my heffa friends showed up with gucci bags and high heels – i kicked them out. They were just there for photo op. Anuofias
ROTFLOL
Truly inspired!God bless you loads…Nice work too by Gbenga Awomodu for fishing this story out!I AM challenged!
Keep it up. u’ve said all, there ie reward for everything u do on earth.
Please keep up the good work,I pray that other well to do Nigerians will support and emulate this.God bless you!
God bless u real good!
Gbenga, well done on this article. I need to tell you how I stumbled upon your article in the first place. I was fortunate to have tuned in to Inspiration FM yesterday when Tolu was being interviewed by Wanawana. As I drove in traffic I coudln’t do my usual complaining because here was something a thousand more times important. I was deeply moved. Coincidentally you visited Dustbin Estate on my birthday so you can imagine the contrast of how both our days were spent.
Blogs, websites and radio interviews are great ways to create awareness about this poverty-stricken zone but like all the other campaigns/NGOs they can quickly become a distant memory in the minds of those who do not live there. I worked as a Charity fundraiser in London some years back and there is a system they adopted which I believe is necessary to sustain Tolu’s project (else she may have periods of financial struggle more frequently). She needs to get interested members of the public (say, from churches for instance) to set up monthly payments/direct debits (just as if they were paying for a pension) that would run indefinitely and could even be increased gradually. Single donations are ok but N100,000 from one person is nothing compared to N5,000 over the next 10years from 20 different people.
We need to keep spreading the word. If after 20-something years in Lagos I’m only hearing about Dustbin Estate now you can imagine how big the knowledge gap is – even my colleagues haven’t heard about it.
Thanks again for the enlightenment. Rgds,
Thanks for your kind comments, ‘Jollof’.
I’m particularly happy about your concern for ‘sustainability’ of projects like this. Thanks for the useful tips.
I believe Tolu would have taken note by now. If not, I’d gladly pass the message across.
Cheers!
Jollof,thanks for the suggestions… we are looking for independent fundraisers who can do what u propose,one person at MTN office and another at chevron are organising their friends monthly for exactly this purpose.u can help with ur own circle of friends.thanks and happy new year.please send me an e-mail so we can exchange contact
Someone should nominate her as a CNN hero.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful done. This en incremental shares. Thank you again.
tolu,u are a true insipiration.when i read this article,i realised that my complaints are not worth the words used to make them.you have shown me that every little helps and sitting down waiting for someone else to solve our problems is totally insenstitive.keep up the good work
Tolu,ure a true hero.I remember the first time we sat to discuss this dream of urs in 2003 at white house opebi,it seemed far fetched considering our finances at that time but girl uve done us proud.Only God can repay u n I pray that he blesses you beyond measure
Thank you Tolu, you are a real angel.
We pray for you and we are thankful for all of your efforts.
God Bless You!!
Well done Tolu. God who has been with you from the commencement of this project will see you to the end. If an indlvidual can put herself out so much to help the less priviledged, then this puts rich men/women of our society to shame. As the going says ‘ if you have money and dont put it to worthy cause, you will use it for unworthy cause’. Together, we can make 9ja a better place to live in. I have heard foreigners say that the we could walk on platinum in Nigeria but 99% of us just cant see it. Thanks to out government sha…………………………I will say no more for now.
So impressed. God bless her
http://www.youthempowerment.org.ng
Incredible how God uses ordinary folks to do extraordinary things Tolu…hats off to you woman! you are pursuing something phenomenal.I’d encourage Nigerians every where, this is one cause worth getting your rolodex out for. Afterall we all know how plenty Naija’s get connections. I hope we make it rain with Project LOTS.
Ms. Sangosanya is blessed and simply amazing.
Talk about wisdom, she realizes that handouts will not solve the issue, she has made her business(es) into a social enterpise by branching out into agriculture amongst other things. God cannot but bless her and her efforts. And I am also sure that some of these kids willgrow up to be very successfull leaders.
We can all start by giving to such a worthy cause and as zerovacancygal says, we can as well pull out our rolodex’s.
olamide please send me a mail and let me know what you propose.Happy new year and God bless you for ur intending help.look forward to hearing from you soonest
it was 2005 at oakland and johnson ad.agency and i remember clearly,do u know i gave up that year until my Spirit spoke within me by the end of year?I almost gave up again like march last year[2010] even after future awards? and oh God i cannot forget the poverty of 2008-2009,did i suffer? but eh sis,i learnt that even in poverty there are lessons to be learnt and yes i learnt.by myself,power or might i would have given up,my continous stay isnt me anymore, He took over and therefore cannot take the glory.i did once and i was warned.how married life?
wow, wat a way to start the yr i heard u speak on RC today and i fell in love with ur idea and moves i’ll like to partner with u.
these are the kind of peeps we call the future of our great country, keep up the good work Tolu.
My darling Tolu, every time I hear about you, I am so very proud to call you my friend. You’ve been able to do something which a lot of us find very hard to do; regain sensitivity and be emotionally challenged and reconnected to the plight of the Nigerian child. Many of us have grown up knowing child beggars and underpriviledged folks on the streets of Lagos and the result of that is that we have become desensitized to their plight and view them as part of the landscape of Lagos and even occassionally as persons constituting a nuisance. We have failed to realize that but for grace and mercy, that could have been you or me. But that is something you have tapped into and it is sooo inspiring. White people largely do not believe in God, but their charitable acts are awe-inspiring. They sow into the lives of people they will never meet and places they will never go. Even with their problems, you can clearly see that God is gracious to them and I personally believe it is because they have charitable and giving hearts. You have God and you’re charitable to boot, sit back and watch how God prioritizes all that concerns you.
For those who have made specific comments about Tolu perharps being selfish for wanting a partner that wants the things she wants, that’s what we all want; firstly and lastly, Tolu is so far from selfish it is ridiculous. I love you girl and this is just the begining. LOTS is going places and will transcend your wildest imaginations.
almost wept…thanks gbenga for the story and to tolu…i am blown away…God bless you..i would love to come and see the dustbin estate soon!
Tolu, God bless you real good. When i read this moving story, i was moved to tears. I have passion for helping the poor. I hate to see peopole suffer. I av made my mind that i must bring succour to the suffering and the less fortunate in life and nothing can make me change, courtesy of your story. My spirit was greatly strenghtened.
Well done Tolu! The lord continue to order your steps in the path you should go. I’m inspired! You are a shinning light!
Tolu i really appreciate all you do, may God bless you abundantly
God bless you Tolu! U inspire me to run with my vision.