Features
Thank You BellaNaijarians! The #BNDoGood Initiative Made 2 Families Smile Yesterday
So, we stepped out of the office yesterday to show love to two families this Christmas season.
If you live in Nigeria, you’ll understand that 2016 is unarguably one of the toughest years in recent times. From the increasing inflation rate, to the plunging of the value of the Naira in an import-dependent economy like ours, virtually everyone felt the heat of the downturn in Nigeria’s economy.
While that can be said to be the reality of almost everyone, there are some folks who feel the crunch the most.
Julian, Ink, Uche, Eki, Rose, Desola, and IK
Going through the streets of Mile 12 and Alapere, Ketu, one will realise that some of the things some individuals term ‘normal to have’ are actually luxury for millions of others in the country.
BellaNaija has been doing its best to support causes that cater for people who are even below the lower class, in economic terms.
Throughout the year, media support and our BN Community Centre section have helped to put smiles on the faces of thousands of individuals and families. This we do, year-in-year-out.
Also, at the end of the year, we go out to support underprivileged families in our own way. In 2014, we partnered with Child lifeline, and took some underprivileged kids to see a movie at the cinema; in 2015, we supported Slum2School Christmas in a box initiative.
This year, thanks to you visiting BN, we have been able to support various charities and charitable initiatives including CancerAware Nigeria, W-Tech and so many more (seriously, the list is really long and we are so grateful).
If you can read this, chances are, your current lifestyle is luxury to these people. Going to school, eating a good meal, transportation, e.t.c.
Mrs Odume is a cleaner at a very small private school, where she gets N10,000 as monthly salary. She has 6 children with her husband, a commercial motorcyclist.
In a bid to rake in more money, Mrs Odume helps with the cleaning of her church at N2,500 a month.
She is struggling to put her kids through school by joining cooperatives and also from various tips from church members.
Her first child, a boy is in Yabatech and he tries to contribute his own quota to the family by taking jobs as a food server at parties. While her second born, a girl, got admission into University of Benin (UNIBEN).
She has been able to get her daughter in to the school through various contributions from church members, the daughter is currently said to be on a 4. GPA and they are trying to get her money for accommodation in the school.
The rest of her kids are going to various public schools around Alapere while her third child lives with another family on the same street.
The Odume family
The BN Team and the Odume Family
Eki, Rose and Ink
We proceeded to Mile 12 to visit another family.
Rose, IK, and Desola
Mama Faith works as a cleaner at an Electronics shop on Allen Avenue, Ikeja. Her husband used to be a private car driver, but is currently out of a job.
Big ups to Mama Faith, she’s holding her family together, working more than 3 jobs to make ends meet to take care of Faith and her siblings.
Faith did not participate in the last exams at her school because of her parents’ inability to pay her school fees.
She is currently learning a trade and her mother is trying her best to ensure that her and her siblings get the best life they can afford, while inculcating the right values in them.
Her husband, Papa Faith, when asked about how they have been coping said: “it has been my wife. She has been the one taking care of us.”
They were so happy for the little we provided and couldn’t hold their joy. BN donated food supplies and assisted financially to ease the burden.
Uche telling Mama Faith why we came
Mama Faith explaining how things have been
She couldn’t hold her joy
L-R: Front: IK, Rose, Desola; Back: Eki, Uche, Ink, Julian. That’s Faith in the background posing for the camera.
People are going through a lot in the country and while it’s quicker to blame the politicians, the humanity in us demands that we contribute our quota to delivering people out of poverty.
A review of our laws and policies would give a long term solution to this problem; but small donations to these families will not only ease the burden on these families, but also inspire them to keep pressing forward.
We want to thank you, BellaNaijarians for your continuous support on projects like these, and also implore you to go out and Do Good. Not in this season alone, but all year round. It does not have to be loud or big, it just has to be done.
